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 Atherton, CA 94027

Atherton: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $2,451/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Medina, WA 98039 69%703$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller · more walkable · newer homes
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 60%2,396$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($57K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Riverside, CT 06878 49%2,580$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06831 47%2,575$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Weston, MA 02493 45%2,679$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger
Chilmark, MA 02535 44%2,720$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($96K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 44%2,580$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Alpine, NJ 07620 44%2,563$246,944$2M+*$792 smaller · 9 min longer commute · newer homes
Honolulu, HI 96821 44%2,395$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 43%2,589$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 cheaper homes ($359K less) · smaller · younger residents
West Tisbury, MA 02575 42%2,724$173,417$1,306,300— lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($694K less) · smaller
Wellesley, MA 02482 41%2,679$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Water Mill, NY 11976 41%2,644$180,250$2M+*$943 lower income ($70K less) · smaller · newer homes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 41%636$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($65K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Waban, MA 02468 39%2,682$250,000+*$1,846,600$619 cheaper homes ($153K less) · more walkable · older homes
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 39%2,680$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($305K less) · larger · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 39%726$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($110K less) · smaller · older residents
Mantoloking, NJ 08738 38%2,569$250,000+*$1,493,200$1,040 cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller · older residents
Darien, CT 06820 37%2,584$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger · younger residents
Needham, MA 02492 35%2,682$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less) · larger · younger residents
Norwalk, CT 06853 35%2,586$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 cheaper homes ($390K less) · smaller · 18 min longer commute
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 35%2,399$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($93K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 35%698$219,069$2M+*$799 lower income ($31K less) · larger · more renters
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 34%2,547$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($917K less) · smaller · younger residents
Manhasset, NY 11030 33%2,577$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($234K less) · larger · 18 min longer commute

* 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.