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 Fairfax Station, VA 22039

Fairfax Station: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,021,500, $309/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarksville, MD 21029 92%37$243,542$912,100$285 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Chester, NJ 07930 87%198$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($250K less) · smaller
Sudbury, MA 01776 86%397$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older homes
Easton, CT 06612 85%274$222,604$783,100$323 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($238K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78739 85%1,309$238,559$808,600$292 cheaper homes ($213K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Warren, NJ 07059 84%197$212,479$921,500$440 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($100K less)
Glenwood, MD 21738 84%39$250,000+*$914,300$268 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller
Southlake, TX 76092 84%1,179$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Bolton, MA 01740 83%392$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($226K less) · smaller
Carlisle, MA 01741 82%406$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · older homes
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 82%226$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($244K more) · smaller
Saddle River, NJ 07458 82%232$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($167K more) · smaller
Mendham, NJ 07945 82%200$250,000+*$931,100$389 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Highland, MD 20777 82%34$226,146$861,900$282 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Boxford, MA 01921 81%426$200,672$904,200$357 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller
Harvard, MA 01451 80%396$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 80%389$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller
Wilton, CT 06897 80%265$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($93K less) · older homes
Lake Forest, IL 60045 80%603$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($98K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Austin, TX 78733 80%1,303$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($44K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 79%198$198,994$917,200$474 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Brookeville, MD 20833 79%32$204,375$797,100$284 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($224K less) · smaller
Skillman, NJ 08558 78%180$236,016$910,200$383 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
South Salem, NY 10590 78%263$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($226K less) · smaller
Groton, MA 01450 77%402$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($278K 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.