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 Norwalk, CT 06854

Norwalk: median income $86,679, home value $460,500, $436/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Long Branch, NJ 07740 93%62$79,870$578,800$453 pricier homes ($118K more)
Seattle, WA 98188 90%2,415$76,438$456,400$323 Very close on everything we compare
Haverhill, MA 01832 87%167$83,041$429,000$320 cheaper homes ($32K less) · more homeowners
Lodi, NJ 07644 87%37$89,305$475,000$433 more walkable
Asbury Park, NJ 07712 87%67$96,725$616,300$447 pricier homes ($156K more)
Miami, FL 33166 87%1,126$81,581$530,300$453 pricier homes ($70K more) · more walkable
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 87%1,105$88,309$498,100$404 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · more walkable
Gardena, CA 90247 87%2,481$77,333$659,100$453 pricier homes ($199K more)
Concord, CA 94520 87%2,565$82,479$601,000$468 pricier homes ($141K more)
Denver, CO 80214 86%1,658$75,575$559,100$387 pricier homes ($99K more) · more walkable
Port Hueneme, CA 93041 86%2,520$90,592$586,600$465 pricier homes ($126K more) · more walkable
Framingham, MA 01702 85%132$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($123K more) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Marlborough, MA 01752 85%130$91,968$513,100$303 pricier homes ($53K more)
Nashua, NH 03060 85%153$79,855$362,600$302 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Avenel, NJ 07001 85%57$101,670$401,000$429 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Rahway, NJ 07065 85%56$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 6 min longer commute
Hialeah, FL 33014 85%1,121$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more walkable
Lowell, MA 01852 84%153$80,906$424,300$328 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more walkable · older homes
Dover, NJ 07801 84%60$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more single-family homes
Parlin, NJ 08859 84%64$99,882$445,800$372 6 min longer commute
Upland, CA 91786 84%2,442$92,458$641,600$435 pricier homes ($181K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Everett, WA 98201 84%2,407$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($39K more) · more walkable
Little Ferry, NJ 07643 83%36$85,750$429,300$384 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older residents
Bound Brook, NJ 08805 83%69$93,341$417,800$331 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Horsham, PA 19044 83%110$88,173$402,400$297 cheaper homes ($58K 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.