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 Lake Forest, IL 60045

Lake Forest: median income $233,125, home value $923,500, $404/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Medfield, MA 02052 95%845$235,800$911,100$416 smaller
Sudbury, MA 01776 94%838$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($65K more)
Wayland, MA 01778 92%841$219,375$977,300$443 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · older homes
Westwood, MA 02090 92%850$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($118K more)
Southborough, MA 01772 91%833$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Wilton, CT 06897 91%746$242,199$928,800$449 5 min longer commute
Saddle River, NJ 07458 90%714$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($265K more) · smaller
Berwyn, PA 19312 90%662$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Clifton, VA 20124 90%599$221,060$884,800$300 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Potomac, MD 20854 90%600$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 pricier homes ($242K more) · larger
Oakton, VA 22124 90%599$218,380$998,400$345 pricier homes ($75K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Westford, MA 01886 88%836$187,198$748,500$371 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($175K less)
Warren, NJ 07059 88%699$212,479$921,500$440 Very close on everything we compare
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 87%709$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($342K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 87%716$213,981$946,400$468 smaller
Chester, NJ 07930 87%688$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller
Duxbury, MA 02332 86%876$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($49K less)
Hopkinton, MA 01748 85%834$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($121K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Needham, MA 02492 85%847$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($295K more) · older homes
Ridgefield, CT 06877 85%742$179,219$836,200$399 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less)
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 85%711$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($29K less) · older homes
Bethesda, MD 20817 85%604$249,332$1,183,600$422 pricier homes ($260K more) · larger · more walkable
Mc Lean, VA 22101 85%604$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($526K more)
Vienna, VA 22181 85%600$211,911$998,300$402 pricier homes ($75K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Harvard, MA 01451 84%830$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($67K 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.