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.

Reset

Towns most like Riverdale, MD 20737

Riverdale: median income $86,951, home value $390,500, $286/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carteret, NJ 07008 90%181$97,021$406,000$355 older residents
Lynn, MA 01905 88%394$84,333$499,200$377 pricier homes ($109K more) · older homes
Roselle, NJ 07203 88%183$92,762$379,900$350 older residents
Riverside, CA 92501 88%2,255$81,886$509,300$410 pricier homes ($119K more)
Brockton, MA 02301 87%376$74,214$449,400$321 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Bremerton, WA 98310 87%2,339$75,878$440,500$286 pricier homes ($50K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Tacoma, WA 98409 87%2,334$73,348$394,500$317 newer homes
Dover, NJ 07801 86%184$84,517$392,400$366 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Stockton, CA 95207 86%2,379$69,455$432,800$261 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Plainfield, NJ 07060 85%175$78,602$393,800$348 larger · more renters
Plainfield, NJ 07063 85%174$93,304$392,500$383 smaller · more homeowners
Rahway, NJ 07065 85%180$91,461$386,400$395 older residents
Haverstraw, NY 10927 85%219$75,167$361,100$272 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Fitchburg, MA 01420 84%366$72,780$335,300$246 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Paterson, NJ 07502 84%198$76,790$375,300$381 7 min shorter commute
Aurora, CO 80011 84%1,486$74,022$409,100$235 larger · newer homes
Richmond, CA 94801 84%2,434$81,728$609,000$378 pricier homes ($219K more)
Bridgeport, CT 06606 83%250$73,372$289,000$271 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Webster, MA 01570 82%341$72,895$361,500$279 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Haverhill, MA 01830 82%404$78,571$467,000$311 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents
Taunton, MA 02780 82%367$74,471$413,900$326 larger · older residents
Newburgh, NY 12550 82%233$85,697$340,900$244 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 82%903$77,321$337,700$281 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Aurora, CO 80010 82%1,488$63,579$424,600$305 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Montclair, CA 91763 82%2,271$78,770$570,100$431 pricier homes ($180K more) · larger

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.