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 Braintree, MA 02184

Braintree: median income $122,214, home value $656,800, $428/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Farmingdale, NY 11735 94%162$139,443$591,500$501 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Bergenfield, NJ 07621 93%179$130,045$491,500$484 cheaper homes ($165K less)
West Orange, NJ 07052 91%195$129,475$556,800$394 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Union, NJ 07083 91%199$121,887$455,300$392 cheaper homes ($202K less)
Dumont, NJ 07628 91%178$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller
Nutley, NJ 07110 90%190$119,646$517,500$421 cheaper homes ($139K less)
Silver Spring, MD 20901 90%385$131,386$589,800$337 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Seattle, WA 98166 90%2,496$114,969$824,400$420 pricier homes ($168K more) · smaller
Clark, NJ 07066 89%204$133,504$609,600$413 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Red Bank, NJ 07701 88%204$112,143$584,500$472 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · more renters
Pearl River, NY 10965 88%175$132,660$596,700$395 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · less walkable
Westbury, NY 11590 88%167$152,960$633,800$516 higher income ($31K more)
Concord, CA 94518 88%2,674$112,094$859,000$522 pricier homes ($202K more) · newer homes
Concord, CA 94521 88%2,671$125,899$853,200$491 pricier homes ($196K more) · newer homes
El Sobrante, CA 94803 88%2,686$118,447$783,900$457 pricier homes ($127K more) · newer homes
Fairfield, CT 06825 87%135$135,504$630,600$395 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Teaneck, NJ 07666 87%181$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($111K less)
West Babylon, NY 11704 87%160$129,195$527,500$459 cheaper homes ($129K less)
La Mirada, CA 90638 87%2,587$109,649$827,300$596 pricier homes ($171K more)
Glendora, CA 91741 87%2,571$127,440$946,900$558 pricier homes ($290K more)
Clifton, NJ 07013 86%188$116,273$478,100$434 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 86%210$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($186K less) · smaller
Wayne, NJ 07470 86%189$153,056$612,700$382 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($44K less)
Dunellen, NJ 08812 86%212$118,316$442,900$356 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller
Falls Church, VA 22042 86%399$138,255$715,800$426 pricier homes ($59K 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.