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 Oakton, VA 22124

Oakton: median income $218,380, home value $998,400, $345/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Forest, IL 60045 90%599$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($75K less) · more single-family homes
Berwyn, PA 19312 87%128$204,384$855,000$376 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Hopkinton, MA 01748 86%381$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($196K less) · 7 min longer commute
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 86%192$192,857$799,900$439 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · larger
Hinsdale, IL 60521 85%593$249,200$1,032,800$405 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($34K more) · more single-family homes
Southborough, MA 01772 83%384$201,568$841,700$354 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Andover, MA 01810 83%414$172,606$855,600$412 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger
Westford, MA 01886 82%400$187,198$748,500$371 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($250K less) · more single-family homes
Medfield, MA 02052 82%390$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Atlanta, GA 30327 82%525$189,250$1,136,500$399 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($138K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Ellicott City, MD 21042 81%36$190,061$706,400$274 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($292K less) · larger
Sudbury, MA 01776 80%392$236,509$988,900$409 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Westwood, MA 02090 80%395$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($43K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Belle Mead, NJ 08502 80%178$227,242$816,700$384 cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Potomac, MD 20854 80%13$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($167K more) · larger
Deerfield, IL 60015 80%598$183,125$606,000$302 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($392K less) · larger
Concord, MA 01742 79%397$195,125$1,218,100$517 pricier homes ($220K more) · older homes
Wayland, MA 01778 79%394$219,375$977,300$443 more single-family homes · older homes
Chester Springs, PA 19425 79%123$211,739$656,700$220 cheaper homes ($342K less) · newer homes
Bethesda, MD 20817 78%12$249,332$1,183,600$422 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($185K more) · larger
Groton, MA 01450 77%397$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($255K less) · smaller
Ridgefield, CT 06877 77%262$179,219$836,200$399 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($162K less) · more single-family homes
Montville, NJ 07045 77%210$185,078$669,400$358 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($329K less) · smaller
Chadds Ford, PA 19317 77%115$174,408$624,900$245 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($374K less) · smaller
Malvern, PA 19355 77%125$169,417$692,300$315 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger

* 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.