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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 Wayland, MA 01778

Wayland: median income $219,375, home value $977,300, $443/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Medfield, MA 02052 96%12$235,800$911,100$416 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Westwood, MA 02090 96%12$223,125$1,041,500$493 pricier homes ($64K more)
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 93%167$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Wilton, CT 06897 92%133$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 92%841$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · newer homes
Sudbury, MA 01776 90%4$236,509$988,900$409 newer homes
Berwyn, PA 19312 90%266$204,384$855,000$376 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Topsfield, MA 01983 88%29$195,718$853,400$402 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller
Needham, MA 02492 88%7$226,645$1,218,800$564 pricier homes ($242K more) · larger
Ridgefield, CT 06877 88%132$179,219$836,200$399 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 88%172$203,988$925,700$502 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more walkable
Saddle River, NJ 07458 87%168$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($211K more) · newer homes
Harvard, MA 01451 86%15$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · newer homes
Concord, MA 01742 86%8$195,125$1,218,100$517 pricier homes ($241K more)
Cohasset, MA 02025 86%29$199,306$1,318,900$546 pricier homes ($342K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Duxbury, MA 02332 86%39$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($103K less) · newer homes
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 86%197$202,944$785,300$504 cheaper homes ($192K less) · 7 min longer commute
South Salem, NY 10590 86%135$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 85%201$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($192K less) · smaller
Sherborn, MA 01770 84%8$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 84%10$201,568$841,700$354 cheaper homes ($136K less) · newer homes
Lynnfield, MA 01940 84%21$173,214$905,400$418 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($72K less)
Sharon, MA 02067 84%19$192,314$736,100$381 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($241K less) · 8 min longer commute
Fairfield, CT 06824 84%128$193,300$869,100$526 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Stow, MA 01775 83%10$185,809$729,600$339 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($248K 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.

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