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 Essex Fells, NJ 07021

Essex Fells: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,083,000, $582/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 82%44$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 pricier homes ($558K more) · less walkable
Glencoe, IL 60022 79%703$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 pricier homes ($310K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Dover, MA 02030 78%183$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 pricier homes ($257K more) · larger · less walkable
Southport, CT 06890 78%56$218,841$1,212,500$550 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Brightwaters, NY 11718 78%54$218,000$768,600$441 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($314K less)
Kenilworth, IL 60043 78%700$250,000+*$1,560,300$534 pricier homes ($477K more) · more walkable · older homes
Sherborn, MA 01770 77%179$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · less walkable
Old Bethpage, NY 11804 77%43$190,469$848,500$534 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($235K less) · larger
Gladwyne, PA 19035 76%76$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($394K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22308 76%207$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33158 75%1,105$201,597$1,026,600$599 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Norwalk, CT 06853 74%47$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 pricier homes ($527K more) · 11 min longer commute
Western Springs, IL 60558 74%709$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($344K less) · larger
Waban, MA 02468 73%189$250,000+*$1,846,600$619 pricier homes ($764K more) · larger · more walkable
Needham, MA 02492 73%186$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($136K more) · larger
Centerport, NY 11721 73%47$197,179$740,300$473 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($343K less) · larger
Lexington, MA 02420 72%194$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Weston, MA 02493 72%187$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 pricier homes ($611K more) · larger · less walkable
Ardsley, NY 10502 72%26$250,000+*$845,700$584 cheaper homes ($237K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Armonk, NY 10504 72%37$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($160K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Wayland, MA 01778 71%184$219,375$977,300$443 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger
Topsfield, MA 01983 71%213$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($230K less) · larger
New Rochelle, NY 10804 71%27$250,000+*$927,000$524 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 71%702$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · more walkable
Wellesley, MA 02482 70%184$226,250$1,352,500$680 pricier homes ($270K more) · larger · more renters

* 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.