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 Silver Spring, MD 20901

Silver Spring: median income $131,386, home value $589,800, $337/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Orange, NJ 07052 95%190$129,475$556,800$394 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Nutley, NJ 07110 92%196$119,646$517,500$421 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Wakefield, MA 01880 91%393$134,306$723,500$468 pricier homes ($134K more)
Falls Church, VA 22042 91%15$138,255$715,800$426 pricier homes ($126K more)
Braintree, MA 02184 90%385$122,214$656,800$428 pricier homes ($67K more)
Dedham, MA 02026 89%379$128,955$661,800$448 pricier homes ($72K more) · older residents
Bergenfield, NJ 07621 89%207$130,045$491,500$484 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Dumont, NJ 07628 89%208$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Stamford, CT 06905 88%232$136,757$618,400$413 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Teaneck, NJ 07666 88%205$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Metuchen, NJ 08840 88%176$146,635$560,100$466 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Stoneham, MA 02180 87%391$113,964$671,900$437 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Rutherford, NJ 07070 87%198$143,153$603,600$489 smaller · older homes
Red Bank, NJ 07701 87%182$112,143$584,500$472 Very close on everything we compare
Annandale, VA 22003 87%17$138,794$732,400$338 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60631 87%603$115,000$436,400$280 cheaper homes ($153K less)
West Roxbury, MA 02132 86%380$138,724$746,100$505 pricier homes ($156K more)
Fairfield, CT 06825 86%249$135,504$630,600$395 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Wood Ridge, NJ 07075 86%200$136,108$566,200$418 smaller
Wayne, NJ 07470 86%198$153,056$612,700$382 Very close on everything we compare
La Grange Park, IL 60526 86%603$120,308$439,800$308 cheaper homes ($150K less) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60646 86%601$112,525$503,900$311 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Caldwell, NJ 07006 85%192$149,102$694,400$434 pricier homes ($105K more)
Springfield, NJ 07081 85%184$155,906$636,600$401 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 85%202$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($25K less)

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.