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 Mc Lean, VA 22101

Mc Lean: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,449,900, $478/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethesda, MD 20817 95%4$249,332$1,183,600$422 cheaper homes ($266K less)
Potomac, MD 20854 93%7$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 cheaper homes ($285K less) · larger
Lexington, MA 02420 90%396$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($250K less) · smaller · older homes
Needham, MA 02492 88%387$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($231K less) · older homes
Hinsdale, IL 60521 86%599$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($417K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lake Forest, IL 60045 85%604$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($526K less)
Lexington, MA 02421 84%395$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 84%2,306$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($61K less)
Wellesley, MA 02482 83%386$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller · older homes
Bethesda, MD 20816 83%3$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · more walkable
Winnetka, IL 60093 83%597$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($272K less) · smaller · older homes
Danville, CA 94526 82%2,403$225,097$1,677,700$789 pricier homes ($228K more)
Concord, MA 01742 81%389$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($232K less) · smaller
Westwood, MA 02090 81%386$223,125$1,041,500$493 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($408K less) · smaller
Weston, MA 02493 81%388$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 pricier homes ($245K more) · smaller · less walkable
Sammamish, WA 98074 81%2,301$244,362$1,366,900$554 cheaper homes ($83K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06831 80%237$227,159$1,696,000$735 pricier homes ($246K more) · smaller
Saddle River, NJ 07458 79%218$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($261K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Moraga, CA 94556 78%2,411$215,720$1,659,600$767 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($210K more) · smaller
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 78%2,404$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($110K less)
Wayland, MA 01778 77%385$219,375$977,300$443 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($473K less) · smaller
Winchester, MA 01890 77%398$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($235K less) · younger residents · older homes
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 77%212$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Lafayette, CA 94549 77%2,409$234,516$2M+*$855 pricier homes ($550K more) · older homes
Medfield, MA 02052 76%381$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller · 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.