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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 Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046

Mountain Lakes: median income $250,000+*, home value $917,000, $440/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Little Silver, NJ 07739 92%44$240,853$955,900$612 pricier homes ($39K more)
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 91%9$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 pricier homes ($166K more) · smaller
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 91%19$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 pricier homes ($176K more)
New Rochelle, NY 10804 87%34$250,000+*$927,000$524 larger · 5 min longer commute
Glencoe, IL 60022 86%694$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 pricier homes ($476K more) · larger
Western Springs, IL 60558 86%700$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger · newer homes
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 85%14$247,361$833,600$671 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Oradell, NJ 07649 84%22$221,322$737,800$500 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger
Haworth, NJ 07641 83%24$236,765$845,300$593 cheaper homes ($72K less) · more walkable
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 83%22$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($29K more) · newer homes
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 83%14$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22308 82%204$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($37K less) · larger · newer homes
Ardsley, NY 10502 80%32$250,000+*$845,700$584 cheaper homes ($71K less) · more renters
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 79%17$215,096$856,900$575 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Kenilworth, IL 60043 79%691$250,000+*$1,560,300$534 pricier homes ($643K more) · smaller
Sherborn, MA 01770 78%184$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($110K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Southport, CT 06890 78%63$218,841$1,212,500$550 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($296K more) · newer homes
Katonah, NY 10536 78%47$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Merion Station, PA 19066 78%75$250,000+*$879,700$365 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more walkable
Brightwaters, NY 11718 77%63$218,000$768,600$441 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($148K less)
Centerport, NY 11721 77%56$197,179$740,300$473 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($177K less) · older residents
Gladwyne, PA 19035 77%73$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($560K more) · newer homes
Winnetka, IL 60093 77%693$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 pricier homes ($261K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Lexington, MA 02420 76%198$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($283K more) · larger · newer homes
Mountainside, NJ 07092 76%15$211,538$810,300$543 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger

* 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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