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 Oceanside, NY 11572

Oceanside: median income $148,790, home value $634,500, $487/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paramus, NJ 07652 88%31$144,349$813,900$504 pricier homes ($179K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Colonia, NJ 07067 87%36$122,713$493,100$393 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller
Springfield, VA 22151 84%228$156,015$655,800$350 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Rockville, MD 20853 83%212$159,080$631,900$302 Very close on everything we compare
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 82%41$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($164K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Emerson, NJ 07630 82%31$155,536$645,200$413 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Middletown, NJ 07748 82%30$152,981$600,600$413 cheaper homes ($34K less) · less walkable · newer homes
West Hills, CA 91307 82%2,482$151,190$963,900$569 pricier homes ($329K more) · more renters
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 81%44$123,152$627,200$556 lower income ($26K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Pinole, CA 94564 81%2,574$127,717$718,600$467 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · more renters
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 80%34$151,625$633,900$422 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Teaneck, NJ 07666 79%26$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($88K less) · younger residents · more renters
Belford, NJ 07718 78%28$131,531$514,600$423 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · younger residents
Whittier, CA 90603 78%2,455$136,705$859,000$552 pricier homes ($225K more) · more renters
Braintree, MA 02184 77%175$122,214$656,800$428 lower income ($27K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Fairfield, CT 06825 77%44$135,504$630,600$395 more renters · less walkable
Cranford, NJ 07016 77%35$155,972$660,100$469 pricier homes ($26K more) · more renters
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 77%32$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents · more renters
Milltown, NJ 08850 77%44$141,601$470,700$410 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Cresskill, NJ 07626 76%27$170,376$811,400$547 pricier homes ($177K more) · smaller · more renters
Glendora, CA 91741 76%2,441$127,440$946,900$558 pricier homes ($312K more) · more renters
North Weymouth, MA 02191 75%178$120,324$526,900$481 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Clark, NJ 07066 75%35$133,504$609,600$413 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Dumont, NJ 07628 75%28$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · more renters
Metuchen, NJ 08840 75%38$146,635$560,100$466 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 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.