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 Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

Basking Ridge: median income $192,857, home value $799,900, $439/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Acton, MA 01720 86%203$159,010$814,300$385 lower income ($34K less) · older homes
Andover, MA 01810 86%222$172,606$855,600$412 pricier homes ($56K more) · older homes
Newtown, PA 18940 86%35$157,414$655,000$316 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($145K less)
Oakton, VA 22124 86%192$218,380$998,400$345 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($199K more) · smaller
Hopkinton, MA 01748 85%190$222,801$802,700$357 higher income ($30K more) · younger residents
Westford, MA 01886 85%208$187,198$748,500$371 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more single-family homes
Melville, NY 11747 85%61$159,540$757,800$486 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less)
Ridgefield, CT 06877 84%70$179,219$836,200$399 pricier homes ($36K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Ellicott City, MD 21042 82%156$190,061$706,400$274 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Walpole, MA 02081 81%199$156,250$687,500$396 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · more single-family homes
Hingham, MA 02043 80%218$178,390$1,134,200$550 pricier homes ($334K more) · more walkable
Woodbury, NY 11797 80%58$192,609$1,007,000$595 pricier homes ($207K more) · smaller · more walkable
Sterling, VA 20165 80%188$183,076$704,800$295 cheaper homes ($95K less) · younger residents
Springfield, VA 22153 79%195$174,228$693,600$344 cheaper homes ($106K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Vienna, VA 22181 79%190$211,911$998,300$402 pricier homes ($198K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 79%696$233,125$923,500$404 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($124K more) · more single-family homes
Oak Park, CA 91377 79%2,440$163,085$1,036,900$571 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($237K more) · smaller
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 79%2,397$195,046$1,020,500$658 pricier homes ($221K more) · smaller
Groton, MA 01450 78%205$193,292$743,400$325 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Northborough, MA 01532 78%189$153,199$620,000$331 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller
Duxbury, MA 02332 78%220$176,583$874,600$459 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Berwyn, PA 19312 78%64$204,384$855,000$376 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · older homes
Malvern, PA 19355 78%67$169,417$692,300$315 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Concord, MA 01742 77%205$195,125$1,218,100$517 pricier homes ($418K more) · smaller · older homes
Canton, MA 02021 77%205$143,381$710,600$425 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($89K less) · more walkable

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.