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 Mendham, NJ 07945

Mendham: median income $250,000+*, home value $931,100, $389/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Katonah, NY 10536 95%59$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Wilton, CT 06897 92%67$242,199$928,800$449 larger
Armonk, NY 10504 92%53$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($312K more)
Sudbury, MA 01776 90%198$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Sherborn, MA 01770 89%195$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 89%61$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 pricier homes ($129K more) · smaller · older residents
Carlisle, MA 01741 88%207$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller
Stamford, CT 06903 88%59$204,028$911,000$370 lower income ($46K less)
Medfield, MA 02052 86%196$235,800$911,100$416 8 min shorter commute
Easton, CT 06612 86%76$222,604$783,100$323 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($148K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Weston, CT 06883 86%71$250,000+*$996,700$396 pricier homes ($66K more) · 7 min longer commute
South Salem, NY 10590 86%64$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($136K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Dover, MA 02030 85%199$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 pricier homes ($409K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Sharon, MA 02067 85%200$192,314$736,100$381 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($195K less) · larger
Bedford, NY 10506 85%58$250,000+*$1,175,500$528 pricier homes ($244K more) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 84%190$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($89K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Harvard, MA 01451 83%196$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Lake Forest, IL 60045 83%692$233,125$923,500$404 larger · 9 min shorter commute
Bolton, MA 01740 82%192$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 82%200$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Stow, MA 01775 81%196$185,809$729,600$339 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($202K less)
Cohasset, MA 02025 81%220$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($388K more)
Gladwyne, PA 19035 81%62$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($546K more) · smaller
Clifton, VA 20124 81%202$221,060$884,800$300 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Great Falls, VA 22066 81%189$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($379K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute

* 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.