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 Edgewater, NJ 07020

Edgewater: median income $124,050, home value $715,700, $525/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alexandria, VA 22314 79%215$148,451$899,000$624 pricier homes ($183K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19123 74%86$102,106$539,500$326 cheaper homes ($176K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Reston, VA 20190 72%220$134,746$581,400$402 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 11 min shorter commute · less walkable
Chicago, IL 60642 72%712$143,175$593,600$385 cheaper homes ($122K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 72%2,460$146,167$1,272,200$834 pricier homes ($557K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Rockville, MD 20852 71%207$122,472$665,200$359 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22203 71%215$140,135$826,800$511 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · younger residents
Washington, DC 20001 70%209$138,059$852,600$552 pricier homes ($137K more) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98107 69%2,401$142,662$953,400$553 pricier homes ($238K more) · larger · younger residents
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 68%2,460$134,313$997,600$700 pricier homes ($282K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Washington, DC 20024 67%210$107,411$526,700$367 cheaper homes ($189K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 67%1,076$124,812$884,800$542 pricier homes ($169K more) · 13 min shorter commute · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60601 67%711$121,458$526,200$494 cheaper homes ($190K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Walnut Creek, CA 94597 67%2,545$132,063$1,026,800$597 pricier homes ($311K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10044 66%5$103,347$1,034,100$967 pricier homes ($318K more) · more renters · older homes
Washington, DC 20005 66%210$116,724$640,600$605 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22209 66%212$120,515$820,000$602 pricier homes ($104K more) · younger residents · 13 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22303 66%217$103,656$552,800$386 cheaper homes ($163K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Arlington, VA 22201 64%213$145,000$781,600$625 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · younger residents
Chicago, IL 60611 64%711$125,675$650,800$394 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 13 min shorter commute
Emeryville, CA 94608 64%2,557$120,239$849,600$508 pricier homes ($134K more) · larger · younger residents
Rockville, MD 20850 63%208$125,950$714,400$331 larger · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Fairfax, VA 22031 63%221$134,577$723,600$356 larger · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02141 62%183$126,522$868,100$842 pricier homes ($152K more) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20003 62%209$159,846$957,700$625 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($242K more) · larger

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.