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.

Reset

Towns most like Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Bernardsville: median income $236,042, home value $785,100, $472/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Western Springs, IL 60558 91%695$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Topsfield, MA 01983 90%229$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($68K more)
Old Bethpage, NY 11804 89%59$190,469$848,500$534 lower income ($46K less) · pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22308 89%191$212,545$914,400$420 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger
Westwood, MA 02090 87%203$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($256K more) · larger
Medfield, MA 02052 86%197$235,800$911,100$416 pricier homes ($126K more) · larger
Wayland, MA 01778 85%201$219,375$977,300$443 pricier homes ($192K more) · larger
Brightwaters, NY 11718 83%69$218,000$768,600$441 smaller · older homes
Harvard, MA 01451 82%198$214,792$856,200$349 pricier homes ($71K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Needham, MA 02492 81%203$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($434K more) · larger
Berwyn, PA 19312 80%66$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Winnetka, IL 60093 80%689$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 pricier homes ($393K more) · larger · more walkable
Wilton, CT 06897 79%68$242,199$928,800$449 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Norwell, MA 02061 78%218$188,699$865,700$425 lower income ($47K less) · pricier homes ($81K more) · 7 min longer commute
Fairfield, CT 06824 78%75$193,300$869,100$526 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($84K more) · larger
South Salem, NY 10590 78%65$211,734$795,600$409 older residents · less walkable · newer homes
Centerport, NY 11721 78%64$197,179$740,300$473 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents
Lake Forest, IL 60045 78%694$233,125$923,500$404 pricier homes ($138K more) · larger · older residents
Hinsdale, IL 60521 78%697$249,200$1,032,800$405 pricier homes ($248K more) · larger · newer homes
Southborough, MA 01772 77%191$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($57K more) · newer homes
Sherborn, MA 01770 76%196$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($242K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Lynnfield, MA 01940 76%222$173,214$905,400$418 lower income ($63K less) · pricier homes ($120K more) · larger
Lexington, MA 02420 76%211$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($415K more) · larger · older residents
Easton, CT 06612 76%77$222,604$783,100$323 less walkable · newer homes
Ardsley, NY 10502 76%43$250,000+*$845,700$584 pricier homes ($61K more) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable

* 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.