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 Potomac, MD 20854

Potomac: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,165,400, $370/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mc Lean, VA 22101 93%7$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($285K more) · smaller
Lake Forest, IL 60045 90%600$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($242K less) · smaller
Hinsdale, IL 60521 89%596$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sudbury, MA 01776 82%380$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02420 81%392$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · older homes
Needham, MA 02492 81%383$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · older homes
Oakton, VA 22124 80%13$218,380$998,400$345 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($167K less) · smaller
Medfield, MA 02052 78%377$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westwood, MA 02090 78%383$223,125$1,041,500$493 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller
Saddle River, NJ 07458 78%214$244,022$1,188,500$501 smaller
Great Falls, VA 22066 78%7$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($145K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Winnetka, IL 60093 78%593$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 smaller · older homes
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 77%208$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Clifton, VA 20124 77%20$221,060$884,800$300 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($281K less) · smaller
Southlake, TX 76092 77%1,189$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller · newer homes
Sammamish, WA 98074 77%2,297$244,362$1,366,900$554 pricier homes ($202K more) · smaller · younger residents
Wayland, MA 01778 76%382$219,375$977,300$443 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller
Berwyn, PA 19312 76%116$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($310K less) · smaller
Vienna, VA 22181 76%11$211,911$998,300$402 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($167K less) · smaller
Vienna, VA 22182 76%9$205,108$1,125,900$390 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 76%2,302$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($223K more) · younger residents
Wilton, CT 06897 75%248$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Southborough, MA 01772 74%372$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($324K less) · smaller
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 74%210$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22308 74%22$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($251K less) · smaller

* 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.