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.

Reset

Towns most like Nyack, NY 10960

Nyack: median income $125,789, home value $681,000, $440/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stamford, CT 06905 90%20$136,757$618,400$413 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Norwood, MA 02062 89%160$107,030$651,700$432 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Wakefield, MA 01880 87%176$134,306$723,500$468 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20012 87%220$121,418$863,900$421 pricier homes ($183K more)
Quincy, MA 02171 86%171$106,885$662,900$512 Very close on everything we compare
Waltham, MA 02451 86%165$122,335$753,000$487 pricier homes ($72K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Red Bank, NJ 07701 86%51$112,143$584,500$472 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger
Parsippany, NJ 07054 85%30$104,214$587,000$387 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Wood Ridge, NJ 07075 85%19$136,108$566,200$418 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98126 85%2,396$116,466$783,700$525 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Somerville, NJ 08876 84%53$122,884$485,100$359 cheaper homes ($196K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22307 84%231$141,667$778,900$425 pricier homes ($98K more) · more homeowners
Beverly, MA 01915 83%187$104,918$649,700$475 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Norwalk, CT 06850 83%26$123,633$581,200$390 cheaper homes ($100K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Stoneham, MA 02180 82%175$113,964$671,900$437 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Rutherford, NJ 07070 82%21$143,153$603,600$489 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older homes
Ridgefield, NJ 07657 82%18$118,059$646,200$398 cheaper homes ($35K less) · more walkable
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 82%104$144,471$803,100$388 pricier homes ($122K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Alexandria, VA 22302 82%229$123,539$631,100$441 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Natick, MA 01760 81%156$138,563$821,300$454 pricier homes ($140K more) · larger · more homeowners
Swampscott, MA 01907 81%182$134,386$771,100$441 pricier homes ($90K more) · more homeowners
Silver Spring, MD 20901 81%217$131,386$589,800$337 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · more homeowners
West Roxbury, MA 02132 80%165$138,724$746,100$505 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger · more homeowners
Springfield, NJ 07081 80%34$155,906$636,600$401 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($44K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Englewood, NJ 07631 80%14$102,571$544,100$428 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger

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.