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 Carteret, NJ 07008

Carteret: median income $97,021, home value $406,000, $355/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Riverdale, MD 20737 90%181$86,951$390,500$286 younger residents
Hyattsville, MD 20784 90%181$86,509$369,900$275 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Haverhill, MA 01830 89%223$78,571$467,000$311 pricier homes ($61K more)
Hempstead, NY 11550 88%33$92,677$465,100$460 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Hyde Park, MA 02136 87%198$96,737$578,400$426 pricier homes ($172K more)
Hyattsville, MD 20781 87%183$86,018$465,100$308 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98168 87%2,395$88,083$548,000$369 pricier homes ($142K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Attleboro, MA 02703 86%178$99,152$448,800$316 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60656 86%714$95,766$348,700$275 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Seattle, WA 98198 86%2,397$86,239$589,500$361 pricier homes ($184K more) · larger · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01602 84%170$91,764$417,300$291 6 min shorter commute
Haverhill, MA 01832 84%221$83,041$429,000$320 6 min shorter commute
New Bedford, MA 02745 84%188$74,034$368,600$316 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Stratford, CT 06615 84%71$81,534$364,700$306 cheaper homes ($41K less) · more homeowners
Yonkers, NY 10704 84%30$106,786$526,800$370 pricier homes ($121K more)
Hyattsville, MD 20782 84%183$90,205$454,700$256 pricier homes ($49K more)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 84%1,057$75,952$423,300$350 larger
Everett, WA 98201 84%2,387$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($94K more)
Webster, MA 01570 83%160$72,895$361,500$279 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Milford, MA 01757 83%177$96,621$478,100$298 pricier homes ($72K more) · 6 min longer commute
Lynn, MA 01905 83%213$84,333$499,200$377 pricier homes ($93K more) · younger residents
Weymouth, MA 02188 83%204$107,335$594,000$396 pricier homes ($188K more) · smaller
Brockton, MA 02302 83%197$92,274$424,800$366 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Peekskill, NY 10566 83%52$85,954$395,600$330 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Newburgh, NY 12550 83%67$85,697$340,900$244 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · less walkable

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.