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.

Reset

Towns most like Cliffwood, NJ 07721

Cliffwood: median income $123,060, home value $424,700, $348/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
South Grafton, MA 01560 80%179$107,031$484,800$284 pricier homes ($60K more) · older residents
Laurel, MD 20724 79%165$118,115$426,100$266 larger · older residents
Ayer, MA 01432 75%201$101,966$463,800$344 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older residents
East Hampstead, NH 03826 74%233$121,184$551,500$276 pricier homes ($127K more) · smaller · older residents
Attleboro Falls, MA 02763 73%186$114,337$566,300$286 pricier homes ($142K more) · smaller · older residents
Newmarket, NH 03857 73%249$100,845$455,000$322 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · older residents
Nashua, NH 03063 72%214$107,630$391,400$291 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · older residents
Garnerville, NY 10923 72%54$100,469$471,400$332 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · older residents
Yaphank, NY 11980 72%74$102,600$450,100$407 pricier homes ($25K more) · older residents · less walkable
Germantown, MD 20876 72%181$119,731$487,300$264 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · older residents
Elmsford, NY 10523 71%48$118,438$588,100$449 pricier homes ($163K more) · larger · more walkable
Pomona, NY 10970 71%53$120,186$360,800$363 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · older residents
Exton, PA 19341 71%79$121,680$509,300$249 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · older residents
Gaithersburg, MD 20879 71%179$112,104$468,100$255 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Columbia, MD 21046 71%164$127,813$479,500$252 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · older residents
Lisle, IL 60532 70%726$102,085$386,300$253 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · older residents
Manville, RI 02838 69%178$97,273$372,300$219 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Fraser, CO 80442 69%1,658$108,387$773,000$512 pricier homes ($348K more) · smaller · older residents
Haverhill, MA 01835 68%228$113,578$468,800$311 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · older residents
Jeffersonville, VT 05464 68%299$85,694$342,900$266 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents
Norwalk, CT 06850 68%63$123,633$581,200$390 pricier homes ($157K more) · larger · older residents
Harriman, NY 10926 68%60$94,279$336,600$275 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($88K less) · older residents
Horsham, PA 19044 68%51$88,173$402,400$297 lower income ($35K less) · larger · older residents
Atlanta, GA 30360 68%711$97,543$425,700$227 lower income ($26K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Prather, CA 93651 68%2,427$107,587$520,600$272 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller · more single-family 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.