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 Elizabeth, NJ 07202

Elizabeth: median income $71,250, home value $432,100, $318/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lawrence, MA 01843 91%211$67,585$429,100$334 smaller
Lawrence, MA 01841 85%212$56,971$403,400$305 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older homes
Fall River, MA 02720 85%176$62,196$398,000$253 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Fall River, MA 02724 84%174$55,590$402,800$256 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Chelsea, MA 02150 82%204$72,179$493,500$400 pricier homes ($61K more) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Lynn, MA 01902 81%211$67,046$478,000$348 pricier homes ($46K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 80%169$61,539$336,100$250 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners
Woonsocket, RI 02895 80%168$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($121K less)
Lowell, MA 01854 79%203$72,709$412,000$330 Very close on everything we compare
Fall River, MA 02721 78%175$52,841$406,000$228 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older homes
Providence, RI 02909 78%165$64,649$325,300$250 cheaper homes ($107K less) · older homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 78%27$60,701$494,300$300 pricier homes ($62K more) · 9 min longer commute
New Bedford, MA 02744 77%184$58,675$372,700$317 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · older homes
Los Angeles, CA 90033 77%2,433$59,652$707,200$396 pricier homes ($275K more)
Santa Ana, CA 92701 76%2,423$70,572$660,500$503 pricier homes ($228K more) · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06605 75%63$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller
Yonkers, NY 10701 75%27$64,776$370,400$306 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Lakewood, WA 98499 75%2,405$67,292$408,500$327 more single-family homes · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01605 73%169$54,642$392,100$270 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Lowell, MA 01852 73%204$80,906$424,300$328 more homeowners · more single-family homes
New Bedford, MA 02740 73%184$55,237$345,800$259 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Sacramento, CA 95825 73%2,485$64,602$440,200$292 newer homes
Worcester, MA 01604 72%168$73,505$352,500$271 cheaper homes ($80K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Long Beach, CA 90813 72%2,439$54,526$585,600$508 pricier homes ($154K more) · more renters
Central Falls, RI 02863 71%170$49,285$352,100$193 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · older homes

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.