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 Los Angeles, CA 90011

Los Angeles: median income $59,017, home value $595,400, $382/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plainfield, NJ 07060 72%2,427$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($202K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33150 72%2,333$40,873$453,400$404 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller · older residents
Aurora, CO 80010 72%838$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lynn, MA 01902 71%2,599$67,046$478,000$348 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 71%2,436$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33161 71%2,334$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($154K less) · smaller · older residents
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 70%2,434$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller · older residents
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 70%2,456$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller · older residents
Lawrence, MA 01841 68%2,586$56,971$403,400$305 cheaper homes ($192K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Passaic, NJ 07055 68%2,441$55,371$429,900$337 cheaper homes ($166K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Irvington, NJ 07111 68%2,436$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33127 68%2,334$41,230$408,800$464 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller · older residents
Lakewood, WA 98499 68%936$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Newark, NJ 07107 67%2,438$51,242$379,500$262 cheaper homes ($216K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07202 67%2,437$71,250$432,100$318 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller · older residents
Lawrence, MA 01843 66%2,587$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Brockton, MA 02301 66%2,595$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($146K less) · more homeowners
Orange, NJ 07050 66%2,435$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($231K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
East Orange, NJ 07017 65%2,437$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($221K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33142 65%2,333$39,608$349,000$351 cheaper homes ($246K less) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75220 64%1,234$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Tacoma, WA 98444 64%934$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($179K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Chelsea, MA 02150 63%2,594$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hollywood, FL 33020 63%2,332$56,473$353,300$324 cheaper homes ($242K less) · smaller · older residents
Lake Worth, FL 33460 63%2,321$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($190K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.