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 Deer Park, NY 11729

Deer Park: median income $136,939, home value $539,700, $455/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Billerica, MA 01821 90%164$149,042$615,100$382 pricier homes ($75K more) · older residents
Riverside, CA 92506 90%2,439$121,459$669,500$384 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Clark, NJ 07066 89%52$133,504$609,600$413 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 89%58$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($69K less) · more walkable
Hazlet, NJ 07730 88%50$125,338$478,600$375 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · older residents
Middletown, NJ 07748 85%49$152,981$600,600$413 pricier homes ($61K more)
Milltown, NJ 08850 85%62$141,601$470,700$410 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Chelmsford, MA 01824 84%162$140,050$619,700$384 pricier homes ($80K more)
Dracut, MA 01826 84%168$114,196$473,800$353 cheaper homes ($66K less) · newer homes
Swansea, MA 02777 84%129$116,364$445,000$356 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · older residents
Lakewood, CA 90712 84%2,482$122,435$829,600$619 pricier homes ($290K more)
Carson, CA 90746 84%2,487$113,364$770,100$503 pricier homes ($230K more) · more walkable
Colonia, NJ 07067 83%53$122,713$493,100$393 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Butler, NJ 07405 83%60$135,169$569,800$342 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 83%53$124,454$442,400$348 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller
Howell, NJ 07731 83%63$134,056$494,600$353 cheaper homes ($45K less) · newer homes
Rockaway, NJ 07866 83%63$131,403$457,400$329 cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents
Whittier, CA 90603 83%2,471$136,705$859,000$552 pricier homes ($319K more) · more walkable
Tewksbury, MA 01876 82%167$130,204$577,000$382 pricier homes ($37K more) · older residents · newer homes
Abington, MA 02351 82%155$125,400$539,600$350 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
West Bridgewater, MA 02379 82%148$123,406$503,800$358 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · less walkable
Seekonk, MA 02771 82%128$120,613$482,800$314 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · older residents
Braintree, MA 02184 81%157$122,214$656,800$428 pricier homes ($117K more)
East Bridgewater, MA 02333 81%152$133,741$509,200$322 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · less walkable
Somerset, MA 02726 81%132$111,046$419,000$345 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($121K less) · 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.