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 Purchase, NY 10577

Purchase: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,631,800, $543/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Villanova, PA 19085 71%110$250,000+*$1,056,000$439 cheaper homes ($576K less) · larger · older homes
Wenham, MA 01984 48%182$194,781$885,400$436 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($746K less) · older residents
South Walpole, MA 02071 46%146$213,885$651,800$374 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($980K less) · smaller
Sammamish, WA 98074 45%2,392$244,362$1,366,900$554 cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger · older residents
Sammamish, WA 98075 42%2,391$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · older residents
Austin, TX 78733 41%1,537$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($623K less) · larger
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 39%154$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · older residents
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 39%50$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($847K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Martinsville, NJ 08836 39%53$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($888K less) · smaller · older residents
Thornton, PA 19373 38%123$192,708$755,800$277 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($876K less) · smaller
Southlake, TX 76092 38%1,403$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 cheaper homes ($624K less) · larger · older residents
Snoqualmie, WA 98065 38%2,382$198,216$956,600$459 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($675K less) · larger
Woodinville, WA 98077 38%2,391$184,306$1,206,400$546 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · larger
Topsfield, MA 01983 37%180$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($778K less) · older residents
Weston, MA 02493 36%154$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · older residents
Hinsdale, IL 60521 36%737$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($599K less) · larger · older residents
Harvard, MA 01451 35%149$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($776K less) · older residents
Etna, NH 03750 35%200$250,000+*$881,000$423 cheaper homes ($751K less) · smaller · older residents
Saddle River, NJ 07458 35%20$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($443K less) · larger · older residents
Needham, MA 02492 34%153$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($413K less) · larger · older residents
Hanover, NH 03755 34%198$165,884$814,600$458 lower income ($84K less) · cheaper homes ($817K less) · larger
Cumberland Center, ME 04021 34%259$172,468$579,000$388 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($1053K less) · older residents
Alexandria, VA 22308 34%238$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($717K less) · larger
Bellaire, TX 77401 34%1,448$243,750$1,036,800$323 cheaper homes ($595K less) · larger · older residents
Medfield, MA 02052 33%148$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($721K less) · larger · older residents

* 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.