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 Washington, DC 20015

Washington: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,245,600, $557/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newton Center, MA 02459 91%386$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($205K more) · more single-family homes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 91%385$224,000$1,255,400$684 lower income ($26K less) · smaller
Winchester, MA 01890 85%393$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($30K less) · newer homes
West Newton, MA 02465 85%385$194,265$1,159,200$619 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($86K less)
Bethesda, MD 20816 83%3$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94618 82%2,422$201,780$1,753,100$855 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($508K more)
Arlington, VA 22205 79%7$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($153K less) · more single-family homes
Lexington, MA 02421 78%389$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($40K less) · newer homes
Belmont, MA 02478 78%389$183,137$1,159,000$601 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger
Wellesley, MA 02482 76%380$226,250$1,352,500$680 pricier homes ($107K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Lexington, MA 02420 75%390$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Larchmont, NY 10538 75%222$207,969$1,266,600$807 lower income ($42K less) · 11 min longer commute
Pelham, NY 10803 75%219$215,208$978,600$646 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($267K less) · younger residents
Arlington, VA 22207 75%5$245,745$1,257,900$511 larger · more single-family homes · newer homes
Merion Station, PA 19066 74%121$250,000+*$879,700$365 cheaper homes ($366K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 74%1$194,971$1,294,200$480 lower income ($55K less) · pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Winnetka, IL 60093 74%601$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Seattle, WA 98117 74%2,320$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($202K less) · larger
Narberth, PA 19072 72%121$172,550$819,700$372 lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($426K less) · smaller
Marblehead, MA 01945 71%406$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($70K less) · cheaper homes ($303K less) · more single-family homes
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 71%209$208,211$891,200$658 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($354K less) · larger
Milton, MA 02186 69%388$188,033$933,200$547 lower income ($62K less) · cheaper homes ($312K less) · larger
Scarsdale, NY 10583 69%223$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98199 69%2,321$180,789$1,198,700$629 lower income ($69K less) · cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Westfield, NJ 07090 68%185$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($292K less) · larger · younger 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.