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 Pelham, NY 10803

Pelham: median income $215,208, home value $978,600, $646/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Millburn, NJ 07041 88%29$202,750$961,700$771 smaller
Maplewood, NJ 07040 82%27$173,500$720,700$599 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($258K less) · larger
Montclair, NJ 07043 82%21$250,000+*$975,200$650 higher income ($35K more) · more single-family homes
South Orange, NJ 07079 81%26$195,417$866,600$473 cheaper homes ($112K less) · more renters · less walkable
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 79%17$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Tenafly, NJ 07670 78%8$208,200$1,002,600$615 more single-family homes · less walkable · newer homes
Winchester, MA 01890 77%174$230,198$1,215,200$534 pricier homes ($237K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Milton, MA 02186 77%169$188,033$933,200$547 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 77%166$224,000$1,255,400$684 pricier homes ($277K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Westfield, NJ 07090 77%33$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Summit, NJ 07901 76%32$179,701$987,900$715 lower income ($36K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
West Newton, MA 02465 75%167$194,265$1,159,200$619 pricier homes ($181K more) · 13 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20015 75%219$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($267K more) · older residents
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 74%22$247,361$833,600$671 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Marblehead, MA 01945 72%187$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Belmont, MA 02478 72%170$183,137$1,159,000$601 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($180K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98117 71%2,406$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 70%17$215,096$856,900$575 cheaper homes ($122K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
River Edge, NJ 07661 70%12$159,028$660,300$499 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($318K less) · newer homes
Wilmette, IL 60091 70%724$189,909$807,200$457 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Newton Center, MA 02459 69%168$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($472K more) · older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Wynnewood, PA 19096 69%99$186,277$713,100$339 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($266K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94618 69%2,562$201,780$1,753,100$855 pricier homes ($775K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Fanwood, NJ 07023 68%35$195,529$635,200$465 cheaper homes ($343K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Arlington, VA 22205 68%225$201,094$1,092,800$542 pricier homes ($114K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes

* 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.