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 Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

Ocean Grove: median income $89,286, home value $790,100, $707/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nahant, MA 01908 77%221$112,762$748,800$558 cheaper homes ($41K less) · more homeowners
Rockport, MA 01966 70%244$96,250$746,100$545 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Little Neck, NY 11363 64%41$125,015$1,053,800$697 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($264K more) · larger
Bronx, NY 10464 60%45$103,125$656,400$414 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 9 min longer commute
Essex, CT 06426 59%116$103,705$729,200$433 cheaper homes ($61K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Hull, MA 02045 55%217$115,485$646,000$432 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Glen Oaks, NY 11004 52%40$115,360$697,100$548 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Bellerose, NY 11426 51%39$103,533$708,200$600 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · younger residents
Newburyport, MA 01950 46%242$139,625$834,000$552 higher income ($50K more) · pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Bradenton Beach, FL 34217 45%1,010$80,972$657,400$776 cheaper homes ($133K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Cayucos, CA 93430 45%2,550$89,519$1,018,200$901 pricier homes ($228K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Forest Knolls, CA 94933 44%2,581$133,006$862,100$631 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller
Arlington, MA 02476 43%212$151,131$934,800$609 higher income ($62K more) · pricier homes ($145K more) · larger
Sharon, CT 06069 43%118$101,067$611,200$524 cheaper homes ($179K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Croton On Hudson, NY 10520 43%70$142,791$702,200$444 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Tuckahoe, NY 10707 43%52$130,957$773,200$493 higher income ($42K more) · larger · younger residents
Flourtown, PA 19031 43%64$134,592$579,300$331 higher income ($45K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 43%1,032$95,542$486,000$590 cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Great Neck, NY 11021 42%42$120,230$662,000$534 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Saint Petersburg, FL 33706 42%995$104,359$655,800$455 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
North Weymouth, MA 02191 41%212$120,324$526,900$481 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($263K less) · larger
Little Neck, NY 11362 41%41$122,090$530,800$601 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($259K less) · larger
Philadelphia, PA 19118 41%64$109,649$718,300$399 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · younger residents
Inglewood, CA 90305 41%2,455$92,665$850,000$461 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · younger residents
Pacific Grove, CA 93950 41%2,574$106,065$1,190,400$1,058 pricier homes ($400K more) · larger · younger residents

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.