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 Arlington, VA 22205

Arlington: median income $201,094, home value $1,092,800, $542/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethesda, MD 20816 92%5$232,656$1,217,200$495 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($124K more)
Newton Center, MA 02459 91%393$227,594$1,450,900$586 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($358K more)
Seattle, WA 98117 91%2,320$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Winchester, MA 01890 90%399$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($122K more)
Milton, MA 02186 88%394$188,033$933,200$547 cheaper homes ($160K less) · larger
Wellesley, MA 02482 87%386$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($260K more) · smaller
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 87%216$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($202K less) · 8 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 87%600$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 higher income ($49K more) · pricier homes ($85K more) · more homeowners
Kensington, MD 20895 86%11$173,625$781,500$396 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($311K less)
Marblehead, MA 01945 85%413$179,583$942,200$536 cheaper homes ($151K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02420 85%396$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($108K more) · newer homes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 84%391$224,000$1,255,400$684 pricier homes ($163K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98177 84%2,319$169,918$1,048,900$544 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($44K less)
Lexington, MA 02421 83%395$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($113K more) · older residents
West Newton, MA 02465 83%392$194,265$1,159,200$619 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Needham, MA 02492 82%388$226,645$1,218,800$564 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($126K more) · less walkable
Wilmette, IL 60091 82%598$189,909$807,200$457 cheaper homes ($286K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Westfield, NJ 07090 80%192$232,629$953,400$574 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98008 80%2,308$184,583$1,206,200$671 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · newer homes
New Providence, NJ 07974 79%192$172,894$758,400$549 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($334K less) · 5 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20015 79%7$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($49K more) · pricier homes ($153K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Needham Heights, MA 02494 78%389$179,720$1,107,700$530 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Garden City, NY 11530 78%225$228,143$994,300$733 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20817 78%7$249,332$1,183,600$422 higher income ($48K more) · pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98199 78%2,321$180,789$1,198,700$629 pricier homes ($106K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes

* 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.