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 Toms River, NJ 08755

Toms River: median income $87,575, home value $389,600, $271/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Middleboro, MA 02346 90%217$97,056$468,700$299 pricier homes ($79K more) · older residents
Chesapeake, VA 23321 90%251$101,568$367,900$209 Very close on everything we compare
Chester, VA 23831 90%252$95,750$336,700$207 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Hampstead, NC 28443 90%431$90,477$391,900$215 newer homes
Valrico, FL 33594 90%950$96,628$346,900$206 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Hartford, WI 53027 90%764$91,150$332,500$222 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Buffalo, MN 55313 90%1,058$92,455$345,300$185 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Lockport, IL 60441 90%731$103,374$297,300$215 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Dallas, OR 97338 90%2,487$78,858$424,400$284 pricier homes ($35K more)
Quakertown, PA 18951 89%67$98,268$363,200$225 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents
Oxford, PA 19363 89%94$107,067$370,200$217 smaller
Ashland, VA 23005 89%235$89,335$402,700$256 Very close on everything we compare
Dawsonville, GA 30534 89%667$95,341$386,000$206 Very close on everything we compare
Winter Springs, FL 32708 89%879$93,628$385,700$242 larger
Lutz, FL 33549 89%945$89,343$385,900$248 smaller · older residents
Lebanon, TN 37087 89%706$82,143$386,200$217 larger
Old Hickory, TN 37138 89%721$85,149$363,000$233 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Washington, MI 48094 89%494$98,017$418,200$204 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Howell, MI 48843 89%535$94,577$348,400$201 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
New Richmond, WI 54017 89%994$98,571$321,700$211 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Forest Lake, MN 55025 89%1,017$98,382$405,000$201 5 min shorter commute
Palmer, AK 99645 89%3,358$100,455$367,400$268 more single-family homes
Glen Burnie, MD 21060 88%138$104,715$377,100$229 Very close on everything we compare
Navarre, FL 32566 88%973$105,551$385,100$223 newer homes
Lakeland, FL 33811 88%941$90,263$333,200$190 cheaper homes ($56K less)

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.