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 Plainfield, NJ 07063

Plainfield: median income $93,304, home value $392,500, $383/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hyattsville, MD 20784 87%173$86,509$369,900$275 larger
Brockton, MA 02302 86%206$92,274$424,800$366 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · older residents
Riverdale, MD 20737 85%174$86,951$390,500$286 larger · more renters
Compton, CA 90220 82%2,428$82,335$554,900$505 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 80%2,418$88,872$659,600$547 pricier homes ($267K more) · older residents
Pomona, CA 91768 80%2,398$76,041$573,200$521 pricier homes ($181K more) · larger
Stockton, CA 95204 80%2,483$75,548$387,100$285 larger · more single-family homes
New Bedford, MA 02745 79%197$74,034$368,600$316 larger · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Montclair, CA 91763 79%2,394$78,770$570,100$431 pricier homes ($178K more) · larger · newer homes
Webster, MA 01570 78%168$72,895$361,500$279 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents
Lynn, MA 01905 78%221$84,333$499,200$377 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Stratford, CT 06615 78%79$81,534$364,700$306 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents
Walden, NY 12586 78%67$87,194$348,400$245 cheaper homes ($44K less) · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98168 78%2,385$88,083$548,000$369 pricier homes ($156K more) · larger · older residents
Tacoma, WA 98404 78%2,392$82,191$413,900$318 larger · more single-family homes · newer homes
Tacoma, WA 98408 78%2,394$80,899$410,500$320 older residents · more single-family homes
Tacoma, WA 98418 78%2,394$89,706$413,400$272 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · older homes
Pawtucket, RI 02861 77%183$83,411$315,400$252 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · older residents
Riverside, CA 92501 77%2,379$81,886$509,300$410 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger · more renters
Modesto, CA 95354 77%2,474$72,879$389,600$305 larger · more renters
Hyattsville, MD 20781 76%175$86,018$465,100$308 pricier homes ($73K more)
Los Angeles, CA 90040 76%2,420$74,472$596,100$466 pricier homes ($204K more) · older residents
Long Beach, CA 90810 76%2,429$84,350$614,400$529 pricier homes ($222K more) · larger
Azusa, CA 91702 76%2,403$92,683$635,400$494 pricier homes ($243K more) · larger · newer homes
San Bernardino, CA 92405 76%2,371$66,964$415,600$381 lower income ($26K less) · larger · more renters

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.