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 Chester, NJ 07930

Chester: median income $240,954, home value $771,200, $361/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Easton, CT 06612 94%79$222,604$783,100$323 Very close on everything we compare
Harvard, MA 01451 93%199$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 92%193$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($39K less) · pricier homes ($71K more)
South Salem, NY 10590 92%67$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($29K less)
Brookeville, MD 20833 92%168$204,375$797,100$284 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($26K more)
Clifton, VA 20124 91%200$221,060$884,800$300 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
Boxford, MA 01921 90%230$200,672$904,200$357 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($133K more)
Highland, MD 20777 90%164$226,146$861,900$282 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller
Medfield, MA 02052 89%199$235,800$911,100$416 pricier homes ($140K more) · larger
Groton, MA 01450 88%204$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($28K less)
Topsfield, MA 01983 88%231$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($82K more) · older homes
Norfolk, MA 02056 88%196$200,720$725,200$344 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min longer commute
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 87%198$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($250K more) · larger
Lake Forest, IL 60045 87%688$233,125$923,500$404 pricier homes ($152K more) · larger
Sudbury, MA 01776 86%201$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($218K more) · larger
Wilton, CT 06897 86%71$242,199$928,800$449 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger
Austin, TX 78733 86%1,484$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($237K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Bolton, MA 01740 85%195$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($36K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Clarksville, MD 21029 85%162$243,542$912,100$285 pricier homes ($141K more) · larger · newer homes
Glenwood, MD 21738 85%162$250,000+*$914,300$268 pricier homes ($143K more) · smaller
Hamilton, VA 20158 84%195$211,522$765,800$291 lower income ($29K less) · smaller
Davidsonville, MD 21035 84%165$188,347$831,500$273 lower income ($53K less) · pricier homes ($60K more)
Dayton, MD 21036 84%163$218,036$881,300$264 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller
Stow, MA 01775 83%199$185,809$729,600$339 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less)
Westford, MA 01886 83%208$187,198$748,500$371 lower income ($54K 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.