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 Western Springs, IL 60558

Western Springs: median income $230,255, home value $739,400, $373/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alexandria, VA 22308 95%609$212,545$914,400$420 pricier homes ($175K more)
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 91%695$236,042$785,100$472 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
Oradell, NJ 07649 87%720$221,322$737,800$500 smaller
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 86%700$250,000+*$917,000$440 pricier homes ($178K more) · smaller · older homes
Medfield, MA 02052 85%851$235,800$911,100$416 pricier homes ($172K more) · less walkable
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 85%713$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($186K more)
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 84%718$213,981$946,400$468 pricier homes ($207K more) · smaller
Wayland, MA 01778 83%848$219,375$977,300$443 pricier homes ($238K more) · less walkable
Topsfield, MA 01983 82%868$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller
Needham, MA 02492 82%854$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($479K more) · larger
Little Silver, NJ 07739 82%728$240,853$955,900$612 pricier homes ($217K more) · smaller
Sudbury, MA 01776 81%844$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($250K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 81%703$202,944$785,300$504 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($46K more) · older residents
New Rochelle, NY 10804 81%733$250,000+*$927,000$524 pricier homes ($188K more) · 8 min longer commute
Southborough, MA 01772 80%839$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($102K more) · newer homes
Westwood, MA 02090 80%856$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($302K more)
Wilton, CT 06897 80%749$242,199$928,800$449 pricier homes ($189K more) · less walkable
Berwyn, PA 19312 80%661$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($116K more) · older residents
Harvard, MA 01451 79%836$214,792$856,200$349 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · less walkable
Lexington, MA 02420 79%855$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($461K more)
Fairfield, CT 06824 79%758$193,300$869,100$526 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Livingston, NJ 07039 79%708$229,806$821,100$558 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 79%716$215,096$856,900$575 pricier homes ($118K more) · 6 min longer commute
Hillsdale, NJ 07642 79%719$186,688$677,500$447 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($62K less)
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 78%716$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 pricier homes ($353K more) · 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.