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 Jackson, NJ 08527

Jackson: median income $115,487, home value $485,800, $299/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pasadena, MD 21122 91%136$127,587$425,800$254 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Fredericksburg, VA 22405 90%208$128,259$433,000$212 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Woodbridge, VA 22193 89%192$117,337$444,800$264 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 5 min longer commute
Fredericksburg, VA 22407 89%216$111,129$409,500$219 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Navarre, FL 32566 89%975$105,551$385,100$223 cheaper homes ($101K less) · newer homes
Apopka, FL 32712 89%888$108,734$422,700$208 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Kent, WA 98042 89%2,400$127,552$658,500$339 pricier homes ($173K more)
Norton, MA 02766 88%207$124,535$501,400$312 smaller
Stafford, VA 22556 88%206$137,287$486,100$226 smaller
Chesapeake, VA 23322 88%262$134,880$463,300$239 Very close on everything we compare
Hendersonville, TN 37075 88%717$101,850$440,800$233 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more renters
Port Orchard, WA 98367 88%2,423$115,482$565,100$294 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller · older residents
Bonney Lake, WA 98391 88%2,403$135,037$626,800$317 pricier homes ($141K more)
Battle Ground, WA 98604 88%2,432$112,448$589,800$299 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller
Palmer, AK 99645 88%3,349$100,455$367,400$268 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Gorham, ME 04038 87%315$112,312$460,900$301 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Medford, NY 11763 87%84$120,783$464,600$371 smaller · older homes
Severn, MD 21144 87%145$136,684$483,700$239 smaller
Sykesville, MD 21784 87%149$139,395$491,800$256 smaller
Chesapeake, VA 23323 87%257$108,730$388,300$222 cheaper homes ($98K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Mount Juliet, TN 37122 87%716$112,967$486,500$236 newer homes
Oswego, IL 60543 87%740$119,371$343,800$206 cheaper homes ($142K less)
Palmdale, CA 93551 87%2,418$119,801$585,100$264 pricier homes ($99K more)
Olympia, WA 98513 87%2,431$113,053$470,700$296 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Winchester, VA 22602 86%221$101,398$379,700$214 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller

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.