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 Lynn, MA 01902

Lynn: median income $67,046, home value $478,000, $348/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Providence, RI 02909 87%52$64,649$325,300$250 cheaper homes ($153K less)
Chicago, IL 60608 87%856$73,366$358,600$300 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger
Pawtucket, RI 02860 86%47$61,539$336,100$250 cheaper homes ($142K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Clifton, NJ 07011 86%198$74,194$428,900$426 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 86%210$65,511$459,200$321 smaller · newer homes
Garfield, NJ 07026 85%197$79,700$475,500$381 smaller · newer homes
Kearny, NJ 07032 85%203$79,154$459,400$364 newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 85%221$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($84K less) · newer homes
Passaic, NJ 07055 83%199$55,371$429,900$337 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 83%184$60,701$494,300$300 newer homes
Elizabeth, NJ 07202 81%211$71,250$432,100$318 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94601 81%2,687$72,359$710,000$458 pricier homes ($232K more) · more single-family homes
Woonsocket, RI 02895 80%45$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($167K less) · newer homes
Providence, RI 02908 80%50$73,081$324,100$240 cheaper homes ($154K less) · 5 min shorter commute
East Orange, NJ 07017 80%206$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($103K less) · newer homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 80%195$63,606$511,400$389 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · newer homes
East Orange, NJ 07018 79%207$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · newer homes
Providence, RI 02905 78%53$62,908$371,900$258 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Bridgeport, CT 06605 78%148$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller · newer homes
Irvington, NJ 07111 78%208$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($142K less) · newer homes
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 78%219$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($107K less) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Washington, DC 20019 78%400$58,296$456,800$252 newer homes
Chicago, IL 60609 78%856$58,896$268,300$213 cheaper homes ($210K less)
Chicago, IL 60639 78%860$61,089$309,900$241 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Paterson, NJ 07504 77%197$76,659$381,600$294 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · 8 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.