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 East Orange, NJ 07018

East Orange: median income $62,564, home value $353,800, $271/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 94%23$60,701$494,300$300 pricier homes ($141K more)
Bridgeport, CT 06605 90%60$56,179$335,500$277 younger residents
Yonkers, NY 10701 89%23$64,776$370,400$306 larger
Yonkers, NY 10705 88%20$67,918$505,400$267 pricier homes ($152K more)
Woonsocket, RI 02895 87%164$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06604 86%61$50,026$267,100$210 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Washington, DC 20019 86%193$58,296$456,800$252 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20020 86%196$54,032$456,000$244 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger · younger residents
Fall River, MA 02720 81%173$62,196$398,000$253 pricier homes ($44K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20032 81%199$49,139$407,700$215 pricier homes ($54K more)
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 81%192$68,846$527,900$298 pricier homes ($174K more) · smaller
Hollywood, FL 33020 81%1,074$56,473$353,300$324 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Lynn, MA 01902 79%207$67,046$478,000$348 pricier homes ($124K more) · larger · older homes
Mattapan, MA 02126 79%193$65,709$542,700$400 pricier homes ($189K more) · more homeowners
Bladensburg, MD 20710 79%191$63,810$337,800$233 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Suitland, MD 20746 79%195$79,330$351,500$219 newer homes
Miami, FL 33181 79%1,082$63,275$352,500$295 newer homes
Chelsea, MA 02150 78%200$72,179$493,500$400 pricier homes ($140K more) · older homes
Fall River, MA 02724 78%171$55,590$402,800$256 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01854 77%198$72,709$412,000$330 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Fall River, MA 02721 77%172$52,841$406,000$228 pricier homes ($52K more) · 9 min shorter commute · older homes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 77%166$61,539$336,100$250 larger · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Oxon Hill, MD 20745 77%199$75,236$375,700$271 more homeowners · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60609 76%701$58,896$268,300$213 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · more homeowners
Worcester, MA 01605 75%164$54,642$392,100$270 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute

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.