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 Wilmette, IL 60091

Wilmette: median income $189,909, home value $807,200, $457/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Marblehead, MA 01945 89%861$179,583$942,200$536 pricier homes ($135K more) · older homes
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 88%707$208,211$891,200$658 pricier homes ($84K more)
Kensington, MD 20895 88%597$173,625$781,500$396 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Livingston, NJ 07039 86%699$229,806$821,100$558 higher income ($40K more)
New Providence, NJ 07974 86%696$172,894$758,400$549 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Wynnewood, PA 19096 85%664$186,277$713,100$339 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller
Milton, MA 02186 84%851$188,033$933,200$547 pricier homes ($126K more) · older homes
Westfield, NJ 07090 84%700$232,629$953,400$574 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($146K more)
Plainview, NY 11803 84%742$187,514$800,200$575 Very close on everything we compare
Winchester, MA 01890 83%847$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($408K more)
Arlington, VA 22205 82%598$201,094$1,092,800$542 pricier homes ($286K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 81%734$182,674$988,300$581 pricier homes ($181K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98177 81%1,724$169,918$1,048,900$544 pricier homes ($242K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 80%707$215,096$856,900$575 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Garden City, NY 11530 80%735$228,143$994,300$733 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($187K more)
Jericho, NY 11753 80%740$175,781$979,800$593 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Bethesda, MD 20816 80%597$232,656$1,217,200$495 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($410K more) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02420 79%843$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($55K more) · pricier homes ($393K more) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02421 79%843$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($399K more) · smaller
Fanwood, NJ 07023 79%698$195,529$635,200$465 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Verona, NJ 07044 79%703$161,843$608,400$432 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller
Pleasantville, NY 10570 79%722$183,833$862,300$470 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · younger residents
New Rochelle, NY 10804 79%725$250,000+*$927,000$524 higher income ($60K more) · pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller
Cranford, NJ 07016 78%702$155,972$660,100$469 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($147K less)
Allendale, NJ 07401 78%706$160,162$782,700$485 lower income ($30K 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.