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 Bell Gardens, CA 90201

Bell Gardens: median income $60,927, home value $568,600, $477/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Aurora, CO 80010 74%835$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33150 70%2,327$40,873$453,400$404 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller
Plainfield, NJ 07060 69%2,422$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33161 69%2,327$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($127K less) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75220 69%1,228$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 68%2,430$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($198K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33127 68%2,328$41,230$408,800$464 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Lakewood, WA 98499 67%940$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 66%2,432$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller · older residents
Lake Worth, FL 33460 66%2,315$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Tacoma, WA 98444 66%938$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Lawrence, MA 01843 63%2,583$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($140K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33142 62%2,326$39,608$349,000$351 cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller · older residents
Hollywood, FL 33020 61%2,325$56,473$353,300$324 cheaper homes ($215K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33147 61%2,325$50,704$381,000$374 cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85006 61%352$58,248$408,100$311 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Brockton, MA 02301 60%2,591$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($119K less) · more homeowners
Elizabeth, NJ 07202 60%2,432$71,250$432,100$318 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 60%2,451$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 60%2,321$53,973$309,300$302 cheaper homes ($259K less) · more homeowners
Sparks, NV 89431 60%396$66,592$365,100$294 cheaper homes ($204K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Opa Locka, FL 33054 59%2,323$45,710$335,800$398 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Tacoma, WA 98409 59%942$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Lawrence, MA 01841 58%2,582$56,971$403,400$305 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lynn, MA 01902 58%2,594$67,046$478,000$348 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · 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.