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 Lakewood, NJ 08701

Lakewood: median income $64,959, home value $466,100, $277/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Provo, UT 84601 78%1,964$67,207$403,500$249 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · older residents
Orem, UT 84058 75%1,965$74,553$472,400$226 smaller · older residents
Riverside, CA 92507 74%2,393$75,303$536,900$358 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · older residents
Monroe, NY 10950 73%86$78,931$486,800$298 smaller · 8 min longer commute · less walkable
Harrisonburg, VA 22801 69%274$72,067$364,300$202 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · older residents
Allendale, MI 49401 69%638$74,880$321,500$217 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Fayetteville, AR 72701 69%1,118$55,506$355,300$218 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · older residents
Monsey, NY 10952 67%72$64,332$863,600$425 pricier homes ($398K more) · smaller · less walkable
Spring Valley, NY 10977 67%72$74,451$649,700$403 pricier homes ($184K more) · smaller · older residents
Logan, UT 84321 66%1,952$69,148$400,500$215 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · older residents
Nashville, TN 37211 65%734$71,399$406,100$244 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · older residents
Colorado Springs, CO 80916 65%1,624$67,127$326,300$219 cheaper homes ($140K less) · smaller · older residents
Rexburg, ID 83440 65%1,932$58,159$419,300$203 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
West Valley City, UT 84119 65%1,974$71,378$382,600$248 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · older residents
College Park, MD 20740 64%164$77,317$423,900$261 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · older residents
Austin, TX 78753 64%1,479$65,170$371,300$233 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · older residents
Orem, UT 84057 64%1,964$82,780$440,200$230 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older residents
Sandy, UT 84070 64%1,969$78,991$461,900$273 smaller · older residents
Provo, UT 84604 63%1,962$75,571$582,000$250 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85008 63%2,124$66,353$358,000$288 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · older residents
Mesa, AZ 85201 63%2,117$67,294$328,800$252 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · older residents
Mesa, AZ 85210 63%2,118$61,957$337,800$260 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller · older residents
Midvale, UT 84047 62%1,969$75,954$434,300$264 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · older residents
Mesa, AZ 85202 62%2,120$71,619$370,900$255 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · older residents
Salem, OR 97305 62%2,465$66,326$372,200$277 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller · older 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.