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 Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Rockville Centre: median income $157,163, home value $809,200, $536/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Roxbury, MA 02132 90%170$138,724$746,100$505 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Melrose, MA 02176 89%182$133,953$822,900$494 Very close on everything we compare
Swampscott, MA 01907 88%189$134,386$771,100$441 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
River Edge, NJ 07661 88%28$159,028$660,300$499 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller
Cranford, NJ 07016 87%35$155,972$660,100$469 cheaper homes ($149K less) · less walkable
Rutherford, NJ 07070 87%27$143,153$603,600$489 cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller
Maplewood, NJ 07040 85%33$173,500$720,700$599 cheaper homes ($89K less) · less walkable
Verona, NJ 07044 84%34$161,843$608,400$432 cheaper homes ($201K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Teaneck, NJ 07666 84%25$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($263K less)
Metuchen, NJ 08840 84%38$146,635$560,100$466 cheaper homes ($249K less) · smaller · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94619 84%2,573$129,867$1,025,300$630 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($216K more)
Wakefield, MA 01880 83%184$134,306$723,500$468 cheaper homes ($86K less) · less walkable
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 83%31$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($245K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 82%34$151,625$633,900$422 cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller · newer homes
Summit, NJ 07901 81%38$179,701$987,900$715 pricier homes ($179K more) · less walkable
Newburyport, MA 01950 79%205$139,625$834,000$552 smaller · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Leonia, NJ 07605 79%23$129,219$672,900$469 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98136 79%2,424$149,269$925,000$544 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Milton, MA 02186 78%172$188,033$933,200$547 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($124K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Cresskill, NJ 07626 78%26$170,376$811,400$547 smaller · newer homes
Washington, DC 20012 78%214$121,418$863,900$421 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
New Providence, NJ 07974 77%40$172,894$758,400$549 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Silver Spring, MD 20901 76%212$131,386$589,800$337 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($219K less)
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 75%38$183,655$718,200$475 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($91K less) · less walkable
South Orange, NJ 07079 75%33$195,417$866,600$473 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller

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.