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 01851

Lowell: median income $92,401, home value $467,000, $324/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kearny, NJ 07032 90%194$79,154$459,400$364 Very close on everything we compare
Garfield, NJ 07026 89%187$79,700$475,500$381 newer homes
Clifton, NJ 07011 88%189$74,194$428,900$426 cheaper homes ($38K less)
North Arlington, NJ 07031 86%193$94,201$474,500$434 smaller · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 86%212$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($73K less) · newer homes
Providence, RI 02908 84%55$73,081$324,100$240 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Lodi, NJ 07644 84%187$89,305$475,000$433 newer homes
Belleville, NJ 07109 83%193$90,438$420,800$372 cheaper homes ($46K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Yonkers, NY 10703 83%175$89,773$527,600$341 pricier homes ($61K more) · older residents · newer homes
New Rochelle, NY 10801 83%173$85,573$575,300$378 pricier homes ($108K more) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60608 82%836$73,366$358,600$300 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Everett, WA 98201 82%2,454$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 81%185$100,718$496,700$404 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60641 81%839$83,758$391,100$284 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 79%187$101,740$483,700$369 smaller · more homeowners · newer homes
Bound Brook, NJ 08805 79%219$93,341$417,800$331 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94601 79%2,665$72,359$710,000$458 pricier homes ($243K more) · larger
Providence, RI 02905 78%59$62,908$371,900$258 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($95K less)
Bayonne, NJ 07002 78%198$83,887$460,100$354 larger · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Carteret, NJ 07008 78%206$97,021$406,000$355 cheaper homes ($61K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Linden, NJ 07036 78%204$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Wallington, NJ 07057 78%189$85,862$528,300$392 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · newer homes
Rahway, NJ 07065 78%207$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($81K less) · newer homes
Roselle, NJ 07203 78%204$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Paterson, NJ 07504 78%187$76,659$381,600$294 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.