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 Massapequa, NY 11758

Massapequa: median income $154,110, home value $653,800, $504/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paramus, NJ 07652 85%37$144,349$813,900$504 pricier homes ($160K more) · smaller · older residents
Rockville, MD 20853 83%222$159,080$631,900$302 smaller
West Hills, CA 91307 83%2,491$151,190$963,900$569 pricier homes ($310K more) · smaller · more renters
Colonia, NJ 07067 82%45$122,713$493,100$393 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Springfield, VA 22151 82%237$156,015$655,800$350 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Middletown, NJ 07748 80%39$152,981$600,600$413 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · less walkable
Teaneck, NJ 07666 78%33$144,075$546,100$431 cheaper homes ($108K less) · younger residents · more renters
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 77%50$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($183K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 76%39$144,574$564,700$462 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · more renters
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 76%51$123,152$627,200$556 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Cranford, NJ 07016 75%44$155,972$660,100$469 smaller · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Emerson, NJ 07630 75%37$155,536$645,200$413 smaller
Fairfield, CT 06825 73%38$135,504$630,600$395 smaller · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 73%42$151,625$633,900$422 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 73%48$183,655$718,200$475 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
Oakland, NJ 07436 73%48$161,971$591,000$390 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Whittier, CA 90603 73%2,464$136,705$859,000$552 pricier homes ($205K more) · smaller · more renters
Seattle, WA 98177 73%2,429$169,918$1,048,900$544 pricier homes ($395K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Trumbull, CT 06611 72%43$163,073$547,300$317 cheaper homes ($107K less) · less walkable
Springfield, PA 19064 72%111$136,893$414,500$286 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Bowie, MD 20715 72%210$143,732$452,600$257 cheaper homes ($201K less) · smaller
Elmhurst, IL 60126 72%756$147,566$540,300$360 cheaper homes ($114K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Cerritos, CA 90703 72%2,470$134,987$932,400$636 pricier homes ($279K more) · more renters · newer homes
Granada Hills, CA 91344 72%2,481$119,345$904,300$548 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($251K more) · more renters
Braintree, MA 02184 71%166$122,214$656,800$428 lower income ($32K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes

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.