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 Mountainside, NJ 07092

Mountainside: median income $211,538, home value $810,300, $543/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Head, NY 11545 90%41$182,528$1,101,100$601 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($291K more) · larger
Centerport, NY 11721 90%54$197,179$740,300$473 cheaper homes ($70K less) · less walkable
Albertson, NY 11507 88%38$164,028$860,000$598 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($50K more)
Locust Valley, NY 11560 87%42$163,750$952,700$562 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($142K more)
Miami, FL 33158 86%1,094$201,597$1,026,600$599 pricier homes ($216K more) · newer homes
Plainview, NY 11803 85%46$187,514$800,200$575 larger
Great Neck, NY 11020 83%34$167,148$1,132,200$750 lower income ($44K less) · pricier homes ($322K more)
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 82%38$182,674$988,300$581 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($178K more) · larger
Brightwaters, NY 11718 82%57$218,000$768,600$441 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · younger residents
Syosset, NY 11791 82%46$202,962$937,700$606 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Old Bethpage, NY 11804 82%48$190,469$848,500$534 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22308 81%197$212,545$914,400$420 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger · younger residents
Katonah, NY 10536 80%54$250,000+*$867,500$444 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Stamford, CT 06903 79%52$204,028$911,000$370 pricier homes ($101K more) · larger · less walkable
Northport, NY 11768 79%56$172,570$801,700$483 lower income ($39K less) · larger · less walkable
Ardsley, NY 10502 77%36$250,000+*$845,700$584 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents
White Plains, NY 10607 77%38$168,603$673,200$454 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($137K less)
New Rochelle, NY 10804 77%35$250,000+*$927,000$524 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Merrick, NY 11566 76%42$177,079$722,400$530 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98177 76%2,387$169,918$1,048,900$544 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($239K more) · larger
Tappan, NY 10983 75%32$160,170$610,900$413 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · less walkable
Massapequa Park, NY 11762 75%48$169,624$641,000$508 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger
Marblehead, MA 01945 74%220$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($132K more) · larger
Barrington, RI 02806 74%174$153,198$644,100$426 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger
South Salem, NY 10590 74%58$211,734$795,600$409 less walkable · newer homes

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.