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 Great Falls, VA 22066

Great Falls: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,310,200, $361/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carlisle, MA 01741 88%395$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller
Sudbury, MA 01776 87%386$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($321K less)
Dover, MA 02030 86%387$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · older homes
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 86%215$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Clarksville, MD 21029 86%24$243,542$912,100$285 cheaper homes ($398K less) · newer homes
Saddle River, NJ 07458 85%221$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Mendham, NJ 07945 81%189$250,000+*$931,100$389 cheaper homes ($379K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 81%596$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($387K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Chester, NJ 07930 80%186$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller
Armonk, NY 10504 80%241$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Southlake, TX 76092 80%1,183$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 cheaper homes ($303K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Austin, TX 78733 79%1,309$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · smaller
Sherborn, MA 01770 78%383$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 cheaper homes ($283K less) · smaller · older homes
Easton, CT 06612 78%263$222,604$783,100$323 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($527K less) · smaller
Wilton, CT 06897 78%255$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($381K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Warren, NJ 07059 78%186$212,479$921,500$440 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($389K less)
Potomac, MD 20854 78%7$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Hinsdale, IL 60521 78%591$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($277K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Austin, TX 78739 78%1,315$238,559$808,600$292 cheaper homes ($502K less) · newer homes
Harvard, MA 01451 77%385$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($454K less) · smaller
Bolton, MA 01740 77%381$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($514K less) · smaller
Medfield, MA 02052 77%384$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($399K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Glenwood, MD 21738 77%25$250,000+*$914,300$268 cheaper homes ($396K less) · smaller
Sammamish, WA 98075 77%2,292$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 pricier homes ($289K more) · newer homes
Southborough, MA 01772 76%378$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($469K 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.