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 East Rockaway, NY 11518

East Rockaway: median income $117,052, home value $588,100, $452/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dumont, NJ 07628 86%27$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
North Weymouth, MA 02191 84%179$120,324$526,900$481 cheaper homes ($61K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Metuchen, NJ 08840 81%37$146,635$560,100$466 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Braintree, MA 02184 80%176$122,214$656,800$428 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 80%33$151,625$633,900$422 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Maywood, NJ 07607 80%27$117,912$533,500$420 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Bergenfield, NJ 07621 80%26$130,045$491,500$484 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 78%26$123,734$552,900$430 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Dunellen, NJ 08812 78%42$118,316$442,900$356 cheaper homes ($145K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Iselin, NJ 08830 78%34$109,500$426,800$482 cheaper homes ($161K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Fords, NJ 08863 78%35$115,861$438,000$386 cheaper homes ($150K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Pinole, CA 94564 78%2,572$127,717$718,600$467 pricier homes ($131K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Swampscott, MA 01907 77%191$134,386$771,100$441 pricier homes ($183K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Teaneck, NJ 07666 77%25$144,075$546,100$431 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Chicago, IL 60646 77%736$112,525$503,900$311 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Colonia, NJ 07067 76%34$122,713$493,100$393 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Nutley, NJ 07110 75%29$119,646$517,500$421 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Wood Ridge, NJ 07075 74%26$136,108$566,200$418 8 min shorter commute · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 74%41$124,454$442,400$348 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Leonia, NJ 07605 74%23$129,219$672,900$469 pricier homes ($85K more) · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
River Edge, NJ 07661 74%28$159,028$660,300$499 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($72K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Fairfield, CT 06825 73%44$135,504$630,600$395 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Rutherford, NJ 07070 73%27$143,153$603,600$489 higher income ($26K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Red Bank, NJ 07701 73%29$112,143$584,500$472 larger · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Wakefield, MA 01880 72%186$134,306$723,500$468 pricier homes ($135K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute

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.