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 Howell, NJ 07731

Howell: median income $134,056, home value $494,600, $353/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Edgewater, MD 21037 92%151$145,787$560,300$317 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller
Sykesville, MD 21784 92%154$139,395$491,800$256 Very close on everything we compare
Norton, MA 02766 91%202$124,535$501,400$312 smaller
Hollywood, FL 33029 91%1,041$146,237$619,900$331 pricier homes ($125K more) · newer homes
Kent, WA 98042 91%2,403$127,552$658,500$339 pricier homes ($164K more)
Centereach, NY 11720 90%78$134,898$518,600$391 older homes
Pelham, NH 03076 89%233$135,956$552,600$312 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Chesapeake, VA 23322 89%266$134,880$463,300$239 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Londonderry, NH 03053 88%238$134,038$507,600$308 smaller
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328 88%1,033$126,380$578,300$357 pricier homes ($84K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Tacoma, WA 98422 88%2,416$118,604$663,800$358 pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller
Tewksbury, MA 01876 87%230$130,204$577,000$382 pricier homes ($82K more) · older residents
Gorham, ME 04038 87%311$112,312$460,900$301 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Holbrook, NY 11741 87%75$144,346$536,900$403 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Medford, NY 11763 87%79$120,783$464,600$371 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 87%81$120,573$496,600$337 smaller
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 87%100$141,585$478,600$266 Very close on everything we compare
Pasadena, MD 21122 87%141$127,587$425,800$254 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Virginia Beach, VA 23456 87%256$130,533$474,700$251 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Lemont, IL 60439 87%726$121,724$480,800$264 smaller · older residents
Littleton, CO 80128 87%1,629$121,436$586,000$269 pricier homes ($91K more)
Fairfield, CA 94534 87%2,538$140,198$744,500$350 pricier homes ($250K more)
East Bridgewater, MA 02333 86%214$133,741$509,200$322 smaller
New Lenox, IL 60451 86%724$137,404$393,100$212 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Santa Clarita, CA 91350 86%2,441$140,110$801,300$427 pricier homes ($307K 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.