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 Edison, NJ 08817

Edison: median income $110,808, home value $431,100, $411/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Norwood, MA 02062 90%202$107,030$651,700$432 pricier homes ($221K more) · smaller
Norwalk, CT 06850 89%65$123,633$581,200$390 pricier homes ($150K more) · smaller
Atlanta, GA 30316 89%720$102,891$443,400$299 Very close on everything we compare
Woburn, MA 01801 88%216$111,185$673,500$456 pricier homes ($242K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Norwalk, CT 06851 88%67$111,341$587,400$407 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22309 88%190$107,376$567,200$327 pricier homes ($136K more)
Tacoma, WA 98466 88%2,403$101,778$602,400$351 pricier homes ($171K more) · smaller
Beverly, MA 01915 87%230$104,918$649,700$475 pricier homes ($219K more) · older homes
Ossining, NY 10562 87%53$115,697$498,700$392 pricier homes ($68K more) · 5 min longer commute
Silver Spring, MD 20902 87%174$114,486$551,200$316 pricier homes ($120K more)
Marlborough, MA 01752 85%195$91,968$513,100$303 pricier homes ($82K more)
Charleston, SC 29407 85%617$85,367$451,800$356 lower income ($25K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 85%2,388$107,687$667,100$438 pricier homes ($236K more) · smaller
Nanuet, NY 10954 84%45$116,332$533,000$383 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · older residents
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 84%180$101,901$457,600$362 pricier homes ($27K more) · older residents · newer homes
Springfield, VA 22150 84%191$123,114$635,900$335 pricier homes ($205K more) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22312 84%188$109,272$604,200$325 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33176 83%1,083$86,354$638,900$426 pricier homes ($208K more)
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 83%713$99,743$390,000$261 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78723 83%1,482$100,329$562,300$355 pricier homes ($131K more) · newer homes
Sacramento, CA 95831 83%2,486$100,751$642,700$346 pricier homes ($212K more)
Beaverton, OR 97008 83%2,433$96,116$578,100$338 pricier homes ($147K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98106 83%2,392$124,212$706,600$448 pricier homes ($276K more) · smaller
Amesbury, MA 01913 82%241$103,554$519,300$385 pricier homes ($88K more) · smaller · older residents
Weymouth, MA 02188 82%213$107,335$594,000$396 pricier homes ($163K more) · smaller

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.