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 Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Far Rockaway: median income $56,135, home value $677,000, $363/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20020 83%209$54,032$456,000$244 cheaper homes ($221K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Mattapan, MA 02126 78%180$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Van Nuys, CA 91405 76%2,466$62,900$737,700$545 pricier homes ($61K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07304 75%19$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($140K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20019 75%206$58,296$456,800$252 cheaper homes ($220K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07017 73%26$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($302K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Union City, NJ 07087 72%18$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($205K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Irvington, NJ 07111 72%26$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($341K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07305 72%19$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($226K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Panorama City, CA 91402 72%2,465$57,369$624,300$492 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90037 71%2,463$57,622$666,400$433 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · older homes
East Orange, NJ 07018 70%26$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($323K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
West New York, NJ 07093 70%19$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($246K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07105 69%23$59,847$471,600$273 cheaper homes ($205K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02121 68%182$43,136$590,200$269 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Orange, NJ 07050 68%28$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($313K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Roxbury, MA 02119 67%182$48,488$688,600$459 smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07106 67%27$53,440$355,400$243 cheaper homes ($322K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20032 67%211$49,139$407,700$215 cheaper homes ($269K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Inglewood, CA 90302 67%2,467$73,777$738,900$459 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Fairview, NJ 07022 66%20$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07104 66%24$53,978$388,800$219 cheaper homes ($288K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 66%25$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($218K less) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90044 66%2,464$53,302$613,900$483 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Long Beach, CA 90813 65%2,464$54,526$585,600$508 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 14 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.