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 East Meadow, NY 11554

East Meadow: median income $133,971, home value $631,800, $560/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Colonia, NJ 07067 87%41$122,713$493,100$393 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller
Paramus, NJ 07652 87%31$144,349$813,900$504 pricier homes ($182K more) · older residents
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 86%51$123,152$627,200$556 6 min shorter commute
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 85%46$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Teaneck, NJ 07666 85%27$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more renters
Braintree, MA 02184 84%168$122,214$656,800$428 pricier homes ($25K more) · more apartments and townhomes
La Mirada, CA 90638 84%2,461$109,649$827,300$596 pricier homes ($196K more) · more renters
Pinole, CA 94564 84%2,577$127,717$718,600$467 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · newer homes
Whittier, CA 90603 83%2,459$136,705$859,000$552 pricier homes ($227K more) · smaller
West Hills, CA 91307 83%2,486$151,190$963,900$569 pricier homes ($332K more)
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 82%33$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Bergenfield, NJ 07621 82%27$130,045$491,500$484 cheaper homes ($140K less) · more renters
Glendora, CA 91741 82%2,445$127,440$946,900$558 pricier homes ($315K more) · more renters
Dumont, NJ 07628 81%28$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · more renters
Springfield, VA 22151 81%235$156,015$655,800$350 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Carson, CA 90746 81%2,475$113,364$770,100$503 pricier homes ($138K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Granada Hills, CA 91344 81%2,476$119,345$904,300$548 pricier homes ($273K more) · more renters
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 80%37$151,625$633,900$422 smaller
Middletown, NJ 07748 80%37$152,981$600,600$413 cheaper homes ($31K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Garden Grove, CA 92845 80%2,466$136,485$926,200$738 pricier homes ($294K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Fairfield, CT 06825 79%37$135,504$630,600$395 smaller · less walkable
Metuchen, NJ 08840 79%43$146,635$560,100$466 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · more renters
Rockville, MD 20853 79%219$159,080$631,900$302 higher income ($25K more)
Cranford, NJ 07016 78%39$155,972$660,100$469 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more renters
Clark, NJ 07066 78%40$133,504$609,600$413 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · more renters

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.