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 Encino, CA 91436

Encino: median income $177,981, home value $2M+*, $766/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Honolulu, HI 96821 87%2,542$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less)
Greenwich, CT 06831 86%2,472$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · less walkable
Wellesley, MA 02482 79%2,588$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($648K less)
Bellevue, WA 98006 78%946$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($612K less) · larger · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 77%949$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98177 77%961$169,918$1,048,900$544 cheaper homes ($951K less)
Glen Head, NY 11545 76%2,476$182,528$1,101,100$601 cheaper homes ($899K less) · 6 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 76%947$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($41K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Concord, MA 01742 75%2,584$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($782K less)
Cos Cob, CT 06807 74%2,475$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02421 73%2,591$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less)
Newton Center, MA 02459 73%2,594$227,594$1,450,900$586 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($549K less) · older homes
Manasquan, NJ 08736 73%2,456$174,097$880,900$691 cheaper homes ($1119K less)
Needham, MA 02492 72%2,591$226,645$1,218,800$564 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($781K less)
Riverside, CT 06878 72%2,476$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 higher income ($72K more) · cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 72%2,457$230,611$1,401,600$625 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($598K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22205 72%2,299$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($907K less) · younger residents
Winchester, MA 01890 71%2,596$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($52K more) · cheaper homes ($785K less) · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02420 71%2,592$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($67K more) · cheaper homes ($800K less)
Great Neck, NY 11020 71%2,470$167,148$1,132,200$750 cheaper homes ($868K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Hingham, MA 02043 70%2,609$178,390$1,134,200$550 cheaper homes ($866K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 70%377$184,979$2M+*$847 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Cohasset, MA 02025 68%2,613$199,306$1,318,900$546 cheaper homes ($681K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Weston, MA 02493 68%2,588$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 higher income ($72K more) · cheaper homes ($306K less) · less walkable
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 68%2,477$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($72K more) · cheaper homes ($211K 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.