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 Merion Station, PA 19066

Merion Station: median income $250,000+*, home value $879,700, $365/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55424 80%980$250,000+*$992,600$415 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 78%75$250,000+*$917,000$440 pricier homes ($37K more) · 8 min longer commute · less walkable
Winnetka, IL 60093 77%667$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 pricier homes ($298K more) · larger · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22205 76%127$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($49K less) · pricier homes ($213K more) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20816 75%123$232,656$1,217,200$495 pricier homes ($338K more) · larger · newer homes
Newton Center, MA 02459 74%266$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($571K more) · larger
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 74%78$247,361$833,600$671 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 10 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20015 74%121$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 pricier homes ($366K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 73%264$224,000$1,255,400$684 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($376K more) · more renters
Winchester, MA 01890 72%272$230,198$1,215,200$534 pricier homes ($336K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Oradell, NJ 07649 72%92$221,322$737,800$500 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($142K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 72%61$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($95K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Western Springs, IL 60558 72%672$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger · newer homes
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 71%92$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 pricier homes ($213K more) · 8 min longer commute · newer homes
Ardsley, NY 10502 70%102$250,000+*$845,700$584 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 10 min longer commute · newer homes
Milton, MA 02186 69%267$188,033$933,200$547 lower income ($62K less) · pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Lexington, MA 02420 69%270$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($321K more) · larger · newer homes
West Newton, MA 02465 68%265$194,265$1,159,200$619 lower income ($56K less) · pricier homes ($280K more) · larger
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 68%77$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 pricier homes ($203K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
East Walpole, MA 02032 67%257$180,682$702,300$365 lower income ($69K less) · cheaper homes ($177K less) · younger residents
Kensington, MD 20895 67%118$173,625$781,500$396 lower income ($76K less) · cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22207 67%126$245,745$1,257,900$511 pricier homes ($378K more) · larger · newer homes
Marblehead, MA 01945 66%286$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($70K less) · pricier homes ($63K more) · larger
Terrace Park, OH 45174 66%486$193,750$603,800$359 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($276K less) · smaller
Glencoe, IL 60022 66%667$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 pricier homes ($513K more) · 10 min longer commute · newer 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.