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 Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Mount Rainier: median income $68,846, home value $527,900, $298/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fairview, NJ 07022 86%204$63,606$511,400$389 larger
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 85%188$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 84%214$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Wallington, NJ 07057 83%201$85,862$528,300$392 more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07018 81%192$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger
Inglewood, CA 90302 80%2,306$73,777$738,900$459 pricier homes ($211K more) · larger
Yonkers, NY 10705 78%212$67,918$505,400$267 larger · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 77%371$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06605 77%251$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · younger residents
Lowell, MA 01854 76%390$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · younger residents
Miami, FL 33181 76%920$63,275$352,500$295 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger · more homeowners
Kearny, NJ 07032 75%195$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80214 74%1,496$75,575$559,100$387 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94606 74%2,428$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($275K more) · larger
Sacramento, CA 95841 74%2,365$61,054$424,500$289 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Renton, WA 98057 74%2,319$68,552$648,800$376 pricier homes ($121K more) · newer homes
Lowell, MA 01852 73%391$80,906$424,300$328 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07017 73%193$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Orange, NJ 07050 73%192$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Little Ferry, NJ 07643 73%203$85,750$429,300$384 cheaper homes ($99K less) · older residents · more homeowners
New Rochelle, NY 10801 73%217$85,573$575,300$378 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · more homeowners
Lawrence, MA 01843 72%399$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger · younger residents
Worcester, MA 01605 71%356$54,642$392,100$270 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger · younger residents
Worcester, MA 01607 71%354$78,727$377,200$253 cheaper homes ($151K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Mattapan, MA 02126 71%384$65,709$542,700$400 larger · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.