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 Lowell, MA 01850

Lowell: median income $69,780, home value $390,800, $313/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Providence, RI 02905 91%60$62,908$371,900$258 Very close on everything we compare
Providence, RI 02908 89%57$73,081$324,100$240 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Paterson, NJ 07502 88%191$76,790$375,300$381 newer homes
Paterson, NJ 07504 88%190$76,659$381,600$294 Very close on everything we compare
Clifton, NJ 07011 86%191$74,194$428,900$426 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · older residents
Plainfield, NJ 07060 83%214$78,602$393,800$348 larger · newer homes
Bremerton, WA 98337 83%2,480$68,561$417,700$268 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Pawtucket, RI 02860 81%54$61,539$336,100$250 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Bristol, PA 19007 81%254$65,511$290,300$256 cheaper homes ($101K less) · older residents · newer homes
Melrose Park, IL 60160 81%846$66,189$275,800$230 cheaper homes ($115K less) · newer homes
Providence, RI 02909 80%58$64,649$325,300$250 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Tacoma, WA 98405 79%2,476$75,946$464,700$300 pricier homes ($74K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Haverstraw, NY 10927 78%170$75,167$361,100$272 cheaper homes ($30K less) · newer homes
Stockton, CA 95203 78%2,616$63,411$370,000$264 more single-family homes · newer homes
Sacramento, CA 95815 78%2,605$60,097$346,500$328 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · newer homes
Pawtucket, RI 02861 77%54$83,411$315,400$252 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · more homeowners
Prospect Park, PA 19076 77%283$64,231$244,000$229 cheaper homes ($147K less) · smaller
Fresno, CA 93728 77%2,575$62,986$274,200$221 cheaper homes ($117K less) · more single-family homes
Garfield, NJ 07026 76%190$79,700$475,500$381 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · older residents
Dover, NJ 07801 76%206$84,517$392,400$366 larger · older residents · newer homes
Riverdale, MD 20737 76%389$86,951$390,500$286 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Everett, WA 98201 76%2,454$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · older residents
Woonsocket, RI 02895 75%48$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06606 75%140$73,372$289,000$271 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Kearny, NJ 07032 75%196$79,154$459,400$364 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · older residents

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.