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 Los Angeles, CA 90033

Los Angeles: median income $59,652, home value $707,200, $396/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 81%2,433$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($248K less) · older residents
Passaic, NJ 07055 80%2,437$55,371$429,900$337 cheaper homes ($277K less) · larger · older homes
Lawrence, MA 01843 77%2,583$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($278K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Elizabeth, NJ 07201 77%2,434$60,080$467,500$296 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07202 77%2,433$71,250$432,100$318 cheaper homes ($275K less)
Chelsea, MA 02150 76%2,590$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($214K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 76%2,452$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($213K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Lawrence, MA 01841 75%2,582$56,971$403,400$305 cheaper homes ($304K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Lynn, MA 01902 75%2,595$67,046$478,000$348 cheaper homes ($229K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 75%2,444$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller · older residents
Orange, NJ 07050 73%2,432$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($343K less)
Roxbury, MA 02119 72%2,587$48,488$688,600$459 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Union City, NJ 07087 72%2,442$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($236K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Newark, NJ 07107 70%2,434$51,242$379,500$262 cheaper homes ($328K less)
Paterson, NJ 07503 70%2,435$60,443$350,900$320 cheaper homes ($356K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Fall River, MA 02724 69%2,586$55,590$402,800$256 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · older residents
Plainfield, NJ 07060 69%2,423$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($313K less) · more homeowners
Newark, NJ 07105 69%2,436$59,847$471,600$273 cheaper homes ($236K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 68%2,431$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($336K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33127 68%2,331$41,230$408,800$464 cheaper homes ($298K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33150 68%2,330$40,873$453,400$404 cheaper homes ($254K less) · more single-family homes
Dorchester, MA 02121 67%2,589$43,136$590,200$269 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
New Bedford, MA 02744 67%2,600$58,675$372,700$317 cheaper homes ($335K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75220 67%1,231$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($207K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01605 66%2,552$54,642$392,100$270 cheaper homes ($315K less) · 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.