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 Alpine, NJ 07620

Alpine: median income $246,944, home value $2M+*, $792/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Montara, CA 94037 85%2,576$233,826$1,580,700$685 cheaper homes ($419K less) · larger · more renters
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 76%26$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 cheaper homes ($359K less) · larger · younger residents
Alamo, CA 94507 76%2,544$250,000+*$2M+*$875 larger
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 75%2,426$187,054$2M+*$1,153 lower income ($60K less) · larger
Cabin John, MD 20818 72%219$245,982$1,335,100$484 cheaper homes ($665K less) · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90077 72%2,458$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($41K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
El Granada, CA 94018 72%2,576$230,053$1,430,200— cheaper homes ($570K less) · larger
Diablo, CA 94528 70%2,542$207,500$2M+*$1,258 lower income ($39K less) · smaller · younger residents
Dover, MA 02030 69%163$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 cheaper homes ($660K less) · larger · younger residents
Chilmark, MA 02535 69%168$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($93K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less)
Armonk, NY 10504 67%18$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($757K less) · larger · younger residents
Weston, MA 02493 65%167$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger · younger residents
Norwalk, CT 06853 65%27$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 cheaper homes ($390K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Water Mill, NY 11976 65%83$180,250$2M+*$943 lower income ($67K less) · larger · 13 min shorter commute
Gladwyne, PA 19035 65%95$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 cheaper homes ($523K less) · larger · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 64%16$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · more renters
Castro Valley, CA 94552 64%2,548$212,605$1,394,300$764 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($606K less) · larger
Carlisle, MA 01741 63%172$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 cheaper homes ($896K less) · larger · younger residents
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 63%653$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($54K less) · 14 min shorter commute
Los Gatos, CA 95033 62%2,559$189,118$1,417,200$652 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($583K less) · larger
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 61%26$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 cheaper homes ($940K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Medina, WA 98039 61%2,393$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 larger · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Cohasset, MA 02025 60%184$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($681K less) · larger
Southport, CT 06890 60%36$218,841$1,212,500$550 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($788K less) · larger
Villa Park, CA 92861 60%2,433$202,245$1,871,700$625 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger

* 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.