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 Orinda, CA 94563

Orinda: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,866,500, $790/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westport, CT 06880 88%2,578$250,000+*$1,402,100$642 cheaper homes ($464K less)
Darien, CT 06820 87%2,572$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Short Hills, NJ 07078 87%2,534$250,000+*$1,679,200$723 cheaper homes ($187K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
New Canaan, CT 06840 81%2,571$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($255K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Weston, MA 02493 80%2,666$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Riverside, CT 06878 80%2,568$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · younger residents
Norwalk, CT 06853 79%2,575$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 cheaper homes ($256K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Glencoe, IL 60022 78%1,832$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($474K less) · smaller · more walkable
Needham, MA 02492 77%2,669$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($648K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Manhasset, NY 11030 77%2,566$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($100K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 77%2,577$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 cheaper homes ($226K less) · smaller · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 75%2,564$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($171K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Little Silver, NJ 07739 75%2,554$240,853$955,900$612 cheaper homes ($911K less) · smaller
Armonk, NY 10504 75%2,560$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($623K less) · smaller · newer homes
Dover, MA 02030 74%2,668$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 cheaper homes ($526K less) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02420 74%2,668$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($666K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Rumson, NJ 07760 73%2,555$226,635$1,338,400$858 cheaper homes ($528K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Cohasset, MA 02025 72%2,692$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($548K less) · smaller
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 72%2,667$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($172K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 72%2,666$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($514K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Saddle River, NJ 07458 71%2,541$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($678K less) · smaller · newer homes
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 71%2,551$230,611$1,401,600$625 cheaper homes ($465K less) · smaller · more walkable
Glen Head, NY 11545 71%2,569$182,528$1,101,100$601 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($765K less) · smaller
Roslyn, NY 11576 71%2,568$216,250$1,214,400$643 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($652K less) · smaller
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 70%2,569$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · younger residents

* 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.