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 Lafayette, CA 94549

Lafayette: median income $234,516, home value $2M+*, $855/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06831 92%2,560$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Wellesley, MA 02482 82%2,663$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more walkable
Weston, MA 02493 82%2,662$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · smaller
New Canaan, CT 06840 82%2,567$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($388K less) · 9 min longer commute
Needham, MA 02492 79%2,666$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less)
Darien, CT 06820 78%2,569$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($178K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 78%668$219,069$2M+*$799 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Mc Lean, VA 22101 77%2,409$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 cheaper homes ($550K less) · newer homes
Concord, MA 01742 76%2,657$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02420 76%2,665$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($800K less) · smaller · more walkable
Bellevue, WA 98006 76%668$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($612K less) · newer homes
Rye, NY 10580 75%2,560$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Winchester, MA 01890 73%2,669$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($785K less) · more walkable
Riverside, CT 06878 73%2,564$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Chatham, NJ 07928 73%2,527$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($976K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Westwood, MA 02090 72%2,668$223,125$1,041,500$493 cheaper homes ($959K less) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02421 72%2,665$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · more walkable
Newton Center, MA 02459 72%2,668$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · more walkable
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 72%2,664$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($305K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 72%2,563$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 72%2,565$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westport, CT 06880 72%2,575$250,000+*$1,402,100$642 cheaper homes ($598K less) · 11 min longer commute
Cohasset, MA 02025 70%2,688$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($681K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22207 70%2,412$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($742K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Honolulu, HI 96821 70%2,409$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less)

* 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.