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 Chelsea, MA 02150

Chelsea: median income $72,179, home value $493,500, $400/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Union City, NJ 07087 83%192$64,310$471,600$453 larger · newer homes
Elizabeth, NJ 07202 82%204$71,250$432,100$318 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 82%203$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($34K less) · newer homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 80%188$63,606$511,400$389 smaller · newer homes
Passaic, NJ 07055 80%192$55,371$429,900$337 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Bronx, NY 10461 80%180$67,028$663,500$420 pricier homes ($170K more) · 9 min longer commute
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 80%178$60,701$494,300$300 older residents · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60608 79%852$73,366$358,600$300 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07018 78%200$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($140K less) · newer homes
Garfield, NJ 07026 77%190$79,700$475,500$381 more homeowners · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 77%195$70,986$537,200$429 pricier homes ($44K more) · newer homes
Bayonne, NJ 07002 76%199$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · newer homes
Orange, NJ 07050 76%200$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($129K less) · newer homes
Irvington, NJ 07111 76%202$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90033 76%2,590$59,652$707,200$396 pricier homes ($214K more) · more single-family homes
Providence, RI 02909 75%45$64,649$325,300$250 cheaper homes ($168K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07017 75%199$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($119K less) · newer homes
Woodside, NY 11377 75%187$73,073$727,200$586 pricier homes ($234K more) · larger · older residents
Kearny, NJ 07032 74%197$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Elizabeth, NJ 07201 74%203$60,080$467,500$296 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06605 73%141$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller · newer homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 73%190$78,911$473,500$425 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Plainfield, NJ 07060 73%214$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($100K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
West New York, NJ 07093 73%190$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07305 73%197$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.