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 Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Ridgewood: median income $208,211, home value $891,200, $658/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milton, MA 02186 93%180$188,033$933,200$547 pricier homes ($42K more)
Garden City, NY 11530 93%30$228,143$994,300$733 pricier homes ($103K more)
Winchester, MA 01890 90%184$230,198$1,215,200$534 pricier homes ($324K more)
Marblehead, MA 01945 88%197$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents
Wilmette, IL 60091 88%707$189,909$807,200$457 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Fairfield, CT 06824 87%46$193,300$869,100$526 less walkable
Scarsdale, NY 10583 87%16$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($292K more) · larger
Arlington, VA 22205 87%216$201,094$1,092,800$542 pricier homes ($202K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Pleasantville, NY 10570 84%20$183,833$862,300$470 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Ardsley, NY 10502 83%14$250,000+*$845,700$584 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Jericho, NY 11753 83%33$175,781$979,800$593 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller
Plainview, NY 11803 83%36$187,514$800,200$575 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents
Lexington, MA 02420 82%181$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($309K more) · smaller
New Rochelle, NY 10804 82%17$250,000+*$927,000$524 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Winnetka, IL 60093 82%709$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($287K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Newton Center, MA 02459 81%178$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($560K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 81%28$182,674$988,300$581 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Kensington, MD 20895 81%207$173,625$781,500$396 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($110K less)
Needham, MA 02492 80%173$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($328K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Larchmont, NY 10538 80%19$207,969$1,266,600$807 pricier homes ($375K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Bethesda, MD 20816 80%212$232,656$1,217,200$495 pricier homes ($326K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98117 80%2,390$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($152K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 79%171$226,250$1,352,500$680 pricier homes ($461K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Pelham, NY 10803 79%17$215,208$978,600$646 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Lexington, MA 02421 78%180$227,813$1,205,700$558 pricier homes ($315K more) · older residents · 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.