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 Princeton Junction, NJ 08550

Princeton Junction: median income $224,213, home value $807,200, $398/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hopkinton, MA 01748 85%211$222,801$802,700$357 7 min shorter commute
Sharon, MA 02067 78%221$192,314$736,100$381 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($71K less) · older homes
Sudbury, MA 01776 76%222$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($182K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Acton, MA 01720 74%225$159,010$814,300$385 lower income ($65K less) · 9 min shorter commute · older homes
Wilton, CT 06897 74%91$242,199$928,800$449 pricier homes ($122K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Stow, MA 01775 73%221$185,809$729,600$339 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Lake Forest, IL 60045 72%698$233,125$923,500$404 pricier homes ($116K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 72%2,396$172,188$1,155,900$553 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($349K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Southborough, MA 01772 71%214$201,568$841,700$354 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Ridgefield, CT 06877 71%93$179,219$836,200$399 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($29K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Armonk, NY 10504 71%78$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($436K more) · smaller
Westford, MA 01886 70%231$187,198$748,500$371 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Hingham, MA 02043 70%238$178,390$1,134,200$550 lower income ($46K less) · pricier homes ($327K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Medfield, MA 02052 70%219$235,800$911,100$416 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 70%74$220,771$863,300$450 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Clifton, VA 20124 69%178$221,060$884,800$300 pricier homes ($78K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Concord, MA 01742 68%227$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($411K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Cohasset, MA 02025 68%241$199,306$1,318,900$546 pricier homes ($512K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Katonah, NY 10536 68%86$250,000+*$867,500$444 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Oakton, VA 22124 68%171$218,380$998,400$345 pricier homes ($191K more) · 14 min shorter commute
Groton, MA 01450 67%228$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Bolton, MA 01740 67%218$205,449$796,000$309 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Chappaqua, NY 10514 67%78$250,000+*$1,124,300$551 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($317K more) · smaller
Duxbury, MA 02332 65%239$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($67K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Vienna, VA 22182 65%167$205,108$1,125,900$390 pricier homes ($319K more) · 14 min shorter 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.