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 Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

Franklin Lakes: median income $236,023, home value $1,265,000, $456/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Armonk, NY 10504 96%28$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 Very close on everything we compare
Sudbury, MA 01776 89%172$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($276K less) · larger
Hinsdale, IL 60521 88%712$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Southborough, MA 01772 87%164$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($423K less)
Wilton, CT 06897 87%42$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($336K less) · larger · older homes
Lake Forest, IL 60045 87%709$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($342K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Cohasset, MA 02025 86%195$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($54K more) · older homes
Great Falls, VA 22066 86%215$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Medfield, MA 02052 85%171$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($354K less) · older homes
Carlisle, MA 01741 84%181$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · less walkable
Dover, MA 02030 84%173$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · older homes
Westwood, MA 02090 83%176$223,125$1,041,500$493 cheaper homes ($224K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Westport, CT 06880 83%46$250,000+*$1,402,100$642 pricier homes ($137K more) · larger · older homes
Gladwyne, PA 19035 83%87$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($212K more) · smaller · older homes
Clifton, VA 20124 83%228$221,060$884,800$300 cheaper homes ($380K less)
Sherborn, MA 01770 82%169$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 cheaper homes ($238K less) · smaller · less walkable
Katonah, NY 10536 82%33$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($398K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 82%226$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 cheaper homes ($244K less) · larger
Southport, CT 06890 81%49$218,841$1,212,500$550 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older homes
Duxbury, MA 02332 80%194$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($390K less)
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 80%36$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller · older residents
South Salem, NY 10590 80%39$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($469K less) · smaller
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 80%2,392$172,188$1,155,900$553 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger
Harvard, MA 01451 79%170$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($409K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Wayland, MA 01778 79%174$219,375$977,300$443 cheaper homes ($288K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older 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.