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 Bethesda, MD 20817

Bethesda: median income $249,332, home value $1,183,600, $422/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mc Lean, VA 22101 95%4$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($266K more)
Lexington, MA 02420 93%392$245,031$1,200,300$550 smaller
Lexington, MA 02421 89%391$227,813$1,205,700$558 smaller
Arlington, VA 22207 89%6$245,745$1,257,900$511 pricier homes ($74K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 89%596$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 smaller
Needham, MA 02492 88%384$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Hinsdale, IL 60521 87%599$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · newer homes
Winchester, MA 01890 86%395$230,198$1,215,200$534 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older homes
Lake Forest, IL 60045 85%604$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller · less walkable
Wellesley, MA 02482 83%382$226,250$1,352,500$680 pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller
Vienna, VA 22181 82%10$211,911$998,300$402 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller
Concord, MA 01742 81%386$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($54K less) · pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Westwood, MA 02090 81%383$223,125$1,041,500$493 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Vienna, VA 22182 81%7$205,108$1,125,900$390 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($58K less) · newer homes
Bellevue, WA 98006 80%2,305$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($205K more)
Berwyn, PA 19312 79%116$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($329K less) · smaller
Wayland, MA 01778 78%382$219,375$977,300$443 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller
Medfield, MA 02052 78%378$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($273K less) · smaller · less walkable
Newton Center, MA 02459 78%389$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($267K more) · smaller · older homes
Oakton, VA 22124 78%12$218,380$998,400$345 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22205 78%7$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller
Westfield, NJ 07090 77%188$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($230K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Chatham, NJ 07928 77%189$220,982$1,024,100$676 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 76%2,404$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($63K less) · pricier homes ($156K more)
Sudbury, MA 01776 75%381$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute

* 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.