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 Hackensack, NJ 07601

Hackensack: median income $84,277, home value $393,700, $388/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stamford, CT 06902 91%29$94,843$510,400$399 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Hialeah, FL 33014 89%1,096$77,338$424,200$327 pricier homes ($31K more)
Chicago, IL 60616 89%707$73,819$387,200$318 Very close on everything we compare
New Rochelle, NY 10801 88%14$85,573$575,300$378 pricier homes ($182K more) · older homes
Miami Beach, FL 33141 88%1,096$68,738$435,000$405 pricier homes ($41K more)
Lowell, MA 01852 87%186$80,906$424,300$328 pricier homes ($31K more) · older homes
Falls Church, VA 22041 84%216$92,636$452,300$311 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 83%166$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($189K more) · younger residents
Miami, FL 33166 83%1,100$81,581$530,300$453 pricier homes ($137K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Denver, CO 80214 83%1,627$75,575$559,100$387 pricier homes ($165K more) · smaller · younger residents
Lowell, MA 01854 82%185$72,709$412,000$330 smaller · younger residents
Norwalk, CT 06854 81%35$86,679$460,500$436 pricier homes ($67K more) · less walkable
White Plains, NY 10601 81%18$85,859$372,900$318 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Gaithersburg, MD 20877 81%205$92,800$474,800$268 pricier homes ($81K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Miami, FL 33181 81%1,093$63,275$352,500$295 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Beaverton, OR 97005 81%2,438$78,239$504,300$299 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Quincy, MA 02169 80%184$96,290$581,600$460 pricier homes ($188K more) · 7 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22304 80%217$101,600$508,200$320 pricier homes ($115K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85014 80%2,135$66,731$476,100$298 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
New Rochelle, NY 10805 79%14$102,109$368,100$284 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older residents
Worcester, MA 01604 78%151$73,505$352,500$271 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22306 78%218$97,132$594,000$343 pricier homes ($200K more) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98188 78%2,393$76,438$456,400$323 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Everett, WA 98201 78%2,385$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($106K more) · more single-family homes
Revere, MA 02151 77%189$86,969$597,400$421 pricier homes ($204K more) · 5 min longer 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.