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 Garden City, NY 11530

Garden City: median income $228,143, home value $994,300, $733/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 93%30$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Westfield, NJ 07090 92%37$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Livingston, NJ 07039 90%35$229,806$821,100$558 cheaper homes ($173K less)
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 90%30$215,096$856,900$575 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller
Milton, MA 02186 88%170$188,033$933,200$547 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($61K less)
Winchester, MA 01890 85%176$230,198$1,215,200$534 pricier homes ($221K more)
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 82%30$247,361$833,600$671 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · older homes
Winnetka, IL 60093 82%736$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 pricier homes ($184K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Montclair, NJ 07043 81%30$250,000+*$975,200$650 smaller · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Marblehead, MA 01945 80%189$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Oradell, NJ 07649 80%26$221,322$737,800$500 cheaper homes ($257K less) · smaller
Tenafly, NJ 07670 80%21$208,200$1,002,600$615 smaller · more renters
Chatham, NJ 07928 80%39$220,982$1,024,100$676 pricier homes ($30K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Wilmette, IL 60091 80%735$189,909$807,200$457 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($187K less)
Fairfield, CT 06824 78%37$193,300$869,100$526 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · less walkable
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 78%33$203,988$925,700$502 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · less walkable
Arlington, VA 22205 78%225$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98177 78%2,419$169,918$1,048,900$544 lower income ($58K less) · pricier homes ($55K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Lexington, MA 02420 77%174$245,031$1,200,300$550 pricier homes ($206K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Newton Center, MA 02459 76%169$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($457K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Manasquan, NJ 08736 76%47$174,097$880,900$691 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 75%30$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller
Closter, NJ 07624 75%24$190,469$871,300$541 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller
New Providence, NJ 07974 75%40$172,894$758,400$549 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($236K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33158 75%1,111$201,597$1,026,600$599 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.