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 Plainview, NY 11803

Plainview: median income $187,514, home value $800,200, $575/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Livingston, NJ 07039 91%44$229,806$821,100$558 higher income ($42K more)
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 90%39$203,988$925,700$502 pricier homes ($126K more) · smaller
Manasquan, NJ 08736 90%55$174,097$880,900$691 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98177 88%2,425$169,918$1,048,900$544 pricier homes ($249K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 86%36$215,096$856,900$575 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Mountainside, NJ 07092 85%46$211,538$810,300$543 smaller
Marblehead, MA 01945 84%180$179,583$942,200$536 pricier homes ($142K more) · older homes
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 84%47$183,655$718,200$475 cheaper homes ($82K less) · more renters
Oradell, NJ 07649 84%31$221,322$737,800$500 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Wilmette, IL 60091 84%742$189,909$807,200$457 Very close on everything we compare
Milton, MA 02186 83%161$188,033$933,200$547 pricier homes ($133K more) · younger residents · older homes
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 83%36$208,211$891,200$658 pricier homes ($91K more) · younger residents
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 83%50$202,944$785,300$504 smaller · less walkable
New Providence, NJ 07974 83%48$172,894$758,400$549 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Cresskill, NJ 07626 81%28$170,376$811,400$547 smaller · more renters
Miami, FL 33158 81%1,117$201,597$1,026,600$599 pricier homes ($226K more) · smaller · newer homes
Fairfield, CT 06824 80%29$193,300$869,100$526 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Cranford, NJ 07016 80%44$155,972$660,100$469 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($140K less) · more renters
Closter, NJ 07624 80%28$190,469$871,300$541 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · younger residents
Hillsdale, NJ 07642 80%33$186,688$677,500$447 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Fanwood, NJ 07023 79%48$195,529$635,200$465 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Westfield, NJ 07090 79%46$232,629$953,400$574 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($153K more) · younger residents
Kensington, MD 20895 79%226$173,625$781,500$396 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Reading, MA 01867 78%172$165,912$809,000$473 more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Scituate, MA 02066 78%172$136,689$850,800$522 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($51K more) · 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.