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 Jersey City, NJ 07307

Jersey City: median income $83,297, home value $582,600, $567/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dorchester, MA 02125 91%187$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($75K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Malden, MA 02148 88%193$100,606$633,500$451 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Boston, MA 02128 87%192$90,106$668,000$646 pricier homes ($85K more) · older homes
Dorchester, MA 02122 85%187$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · older homes
Astoria, NY 11106 85%6$84,867$610,400$652 pricier homes ($28K more) · more renters
Woodside, NY 11377 85%7$73,073$727,200$586 pricier homes ($145K more) · larger
Flushing, NY 11367 84%12$75,061$493,900$500 cheaper homes ($89K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
New Rochelle, NY 10801 83%18$85,573$575,300$378 more single-family homes
Jackson Heights, NY 11372 83%9$78,606$469,400$528 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · older residents
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 82%187$81,923$650,700$418 pricier homes ($68K more) · older homes
Quincy, MA 02169 82%189$96,290$581,600$460 more single-family homes · newer homes
Long Beach, CA 90802 82%2,448$74,510$542,600$555 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more renters · newer homes
Sunnyside, NY 11104 81%7$80,709$610,100$631 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more renters
Bronx, NY 10470 80%14$90,046$497,700$399 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11230 80%10$70,027$874,500$458 pricier homes ($292K more) · larger
Jamaica, NY 11432 79%14$74,096$864,900$597 pricier homes ($282K more) · 7 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11218 78%8$97,366$935,900$846 pricier homes ($353K more) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11229 78%11$70,603$818,900$519 pricier homes ($236K more) · larger · older residents
Rego Park, NY 11374 78%10$90,631$473,300$459 cheaper homes ($109K less) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Kew Gardens, NY 11415 78%12$86,394$367,400$399 cheaper homes ($215K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11210 77%10$83,692$838,000$508 pricier homes ($255K more) · 8 min longer commute
Jamaica, NY 11435 77%13$79,710$547,200$472 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 11 min longer commute
Chicago, IL 60625 77%712$85,703$401,900$333 cheaper homes ($181K less) · larger · older homes
Salem, MA 01970 76%203$85,041$542,900$418 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
New York, NY 10033 76%9$75,040$695,000$628 pricier homes ($112K more) · more renters · 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.