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 Spring Lake, NJ 07762

Spring Lake: median income $116,295, home value $927,700, $705/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Edmonds, WA 98020 87%2,419$130,319$1,031,500$625 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger
Novato, CA 94945 78%2,572$107,790$1,124,100$560 pricier homes ($196K more) · larger · younger residents
Newburyport, MA 01950 76%246$139,625$834,000$552 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · younger residents
Pismo Beach, CA 93449 76%2,544$118,072$1,021,300$777 pricier homes ($94K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
La Palma, CA 90623 75%2,441$116,594$979,600$562 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · younger residents
San Rafael, CA 94903 75%2,575$142,083$1,197,300$722 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($270K more) · larger
Solvang, CA 93463 73%2,532$118,488$1,114,500$639 pricier homes ($187K more)
Rockport, MA 01966 72%248$96,250$746,100$545 cheaper homes ($182K less) · less walkable · older homes
Scottsdale, AZ 85258 72%2,125$114,111$846,000$462 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91208 72%2,442$136,892$1,421,200$722 pricier homes ($494K more) · larger · younger residents
Little Neck, NY 11363 71%45$125,015$1,053,800$697 pricier homes ($126K more) · 10 min longer commute · older homes
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 71%2,434$143,547$1,226,800$764 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($299K more) · younger residents
Fairfax, CA 94930 71%2,576$145,362$1,170,000$732 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($242K more) · younger residents
Narragansett, RI 02882 70%161$95,721$749,700$555 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger · younger residents
San Pedro, CA 90732 70%2,459$120,807$857,000$483 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · younger residents
Westlake Village, CA 91361 70%2,475$144,900$1,433,300$676 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($506K more) · larger
Irvine, CA 92604 70%2,432$133,869$1,058,000$830 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · younger residents
Novato, CA 94949 70%2,572$120,758$1,150,500$576 pricier homes ($223K more) · larger · younger residents
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 69%985$107,889$753,600$451 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger · younger residents
Morro Bay, CA 93442 69%2,548$95,623$918,700$629 9 min shorter commute
Novato, CA 94947 69%2,573$128,766$1,017,600$602 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · younger residents
Sausalito, CA 94965 69%2,574$146,946$1,537,800$878 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($610K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Aptos, CA 95003 69%2,563$148,412$1,198,700$764 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($271K more) · larger
Essex, CT 06426 68%119$103,705$729,200$433 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
White Plains, NY 10605 68%61$148,982$787,500$459 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger

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.