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 Hempstead, NY 11550

Hempstead: median income $92,677, home value $465,100, $460/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Linden, NJ 07036 96%34$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Pomona, CA 91767 90%2,439$79,245$599,200$462 pricier homes ($134K more)
San Pablo, CA 94806 90%2,577$86,034$607,800$454 pricier homes ($143K more) · newer homes
Rahway, NJ 07065 89%35$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Belleville, NJ 07109 89%29$90,438$420,800$372 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Roselle, NJ 07203 89%34$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Carteret, NJ 07008 88%33$97,021$406,000$355 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Hyde Park, MA 02136 87%168$96,737$578,400$426 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller
Brockton, MA 02301 87%164$74,214$449,400$321 Very close on everything we compare
Richmond, CA 94804 87%2,578$91,037$631,900$535 pricier homes ($167K more)
Lynn, MA 01905 86%183$84,333$499,200$377 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · younger residents
Reseda, CA 91335 86%2,477$80,143$751,700$509 pricier homes ($287K more)
Azusa, CA 91702 86%2,446$92,683$635,400$494 pricier homes ($170K more)
Revere, MA 02151 85%179$86,969$597,400$421 pricier homes ($132K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Chula Vista, CA 91911 85%2,446$82,350$636,100$491 pricier homes ($171K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Richmond, CA 94801 85%2,579$81,728$609,000$378 pricier homes ($144K more) · smaller · newer homes
Everett, WA 98201 85%2,411$74,554$499,800$384 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Kearny, NJ 07032 84%28$79,154$459,400$364 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Riverside, CA 92501 84%2,422$81,886$509,300$410 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Leandro, CA 94578 84%2,572$94,084$823,000$567 pricier homes ($358K more)
Downey, CA 90241 83%2,463$88,006$829,000$598 pricier homes ($364K more)
Downey, CA 90242 83%2,464$89,075$761,000$600 pricier homes ($296K more)
South Gate, CA 90280 83%2,467$74,651$636,300$484 pricier homes ($171K more)
Covina, CA 91723 83%2,446$94,167$717,300$501 pricier homes ($252K more) · smaller
Montclair, CA 91763 83%2,437$78,770$570,100$431 pricier homes ($105K more) · smaller · younger 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.