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 Valley Stream, NY 11581

Valley Stream: median income $142,233, home value $671,700, $489/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Teaneck, NJ 07666 87%23$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Metuchen, NJ 08840 86%34$146,635$560,100$466 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 82%30$151,625$633,900$422 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older residents
Braintree, MA 02184 80%177$122,214$656,800$428 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 80%29$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Dumont, NJ 07628 80%25$126,071$497,400$420 cheaper homes ($174K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Cranford, NJ 07016 79%31$155,972$660,100$469 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Bergenfield, NJ 07621 79%24$130,045$491,500$484 cheaper homes ($180K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Fairfield, CT 06825 78%45$135,504$630,600$395 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Colonia, NJ 07067 78%32$122,713$493,100$393 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
River Edge, NJ 07661 78%26$159,028$660,300$499 smaller · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Cresskill, NJ 07626 77%24$170,376$811,400$547 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($140K more) · smaller
Whittier, CA 90603 77%2,451$136,705$859,000$552 pricier homes ($187K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Glendora, CA 91741 77%2,437$127,440$946,900$558 pricier homes ($275K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Pinole, CA 94564 77%2,570$127,717$718,600$467 pricier homes ($47K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Middletown, NJ 07748 76%28$152,981$600,600$413 cheaper homes ($71K less) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Belford, NJ 07718 75%26$131,531$514,600$423 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94619 75%2,570$129,867$1,025,300$630 pricier homes ($354K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
El Sobrante, CA 94803 75%2,570$118,447$783,900$457 pricier homes ($112K more) · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Rockville, MD 20853 74%209$159,080$631,900$302 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Springfield, VA 22151 74%226$156,015$655,800$350 older residents · 11 min shorter commute
West Hills, CA 91307 74%2,478$151,190$963,900$569 pricier homes ($292K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 73%37$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($201K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Concord, CA 94519 73%2,556$122,418$783,700$506 pricier homes ($112K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 72%34$183,655$718,200$475 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($47K more) · older 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.