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 Brockton, MA 02301

Brockton: median income $74,214, home value $449,400, $321/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plainfield, NJ 07060 92%202$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more renters
Kearny, NJ 07032 89%185$79,154$459,400$364 smaller
Bridgeport, CT 06606 88%127$73,372$289,000$271 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Miami, FL 33161 88%1,233$58,325$441,700$405 Very close on everything we compare
Everett, WA 98201 88%2,484$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Hempstead, NY 11550 87%164$92,677$465,100$460 Very close on everything we compare
Riverdale, MD 20737 87%376$86,951$390,500$286 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Vallejo, CA 94590 87%2,680$65,290$530,500$347 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller
Stockton, CA 95207 87%2,636$69,455$432,800$261 newer homes
Hyattsville, MD 20783 86%377$86,737$409,000$253 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 6 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33169 86%1,231$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · newer homes
Garfield, NJ 07026 85%179$79,700$475,500$381 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Linden, NJ 07036 85%194$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33162 85%1,231$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($46K less) · more single-family homes
Sacramento, CA 95821 85%2,623$64,963$496,500$356 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Dover, NJ 07801 84%198$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Hyattsville, MD 20784 84%376$86,509$369,900$275 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Pompano Beach, FL 33060 84%1,210$64,819$377,500$330 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Worth, FL 33460 84%1,184$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · newer homes
Aurora, CO 80010 84%1,762$63,579$424,600$305 smaller
Belleville, NJ 07109 83%185$90,438$420,800$372 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 83%200$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Gardena, CA 90247 83%2,601$77,333$659,100$453 pricier homes ($210K more)
Pomona, CA 91767 83%2,566$79,245$599,200$462 pricier homes ($150K more) · more single-family homes
Carteret, NJ 07008 82%195$97,021$406,000$355 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller

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.