OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Wilton, CT 06897

Wilton: median income $242,199, home value $928,800, $449/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sudbury, MA 01776 96%132$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($60K more)
Medfield, MA 02052 96%129$235,800$911,100$416 Very close on everything we compare
Saddle River, NJ 07458 93%36$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($260K more) · smaller
Wayland, MA 01778 92%133$219,375$977,300$443 pricier homes ($49K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Westwood, MA 02090 92%135$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($113K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Mendham, NJ 07945 92%67$250,000+*$931,100$389 smaller
Lake Forest, IL 60045 91%746$233,125$923,500$404 5 min shorter commute
Sharon, MA 02067 90%133$192,314$736,100$381 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($193K less)
Warren, NJ 07059 89%68$212,479$921,500$440 lower income ($30K less) · newer homes
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 89%63$202,944$785,300$504 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 88%35$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($28K less) · smaller
Armonk, NY 10504 88%14$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($314K more) · smaller
Katonah, NY 10536 88%14$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Sherborn, MA 01770 87%128$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller
Norwell, MA 02061 87%150$188,699$865,700$425 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 87%42$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($336K more) · smaller · newer homes
Cohasset, MA 02025 86%153$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($390K more) · smaller
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 86%40$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($38K less) · more walkable
Chester, NJ 07930 86%71$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller
South Salem, NY 10590 86%6$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller
Harvard, MA 01451 85%131$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 85%124$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Duxbury, MA 02332 84%152$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($54K less)
Hinsdale, IL 60521 84%750$249,200$1,032,800$405 pricier homes ($104K more) · more walkable
Hopkinton, MA 01748 83%121$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($126K less) · newer homes

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.