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 Downey, CA 90241

Downey: median income $88,006, home value $829,000, $598/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hempstead, NY 11550 83%2,463$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($364K less)
Revere, MA 02151 81%2,591$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($232K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Hyde Park, MA 02136 80%2,586$96,737$578,400$426 cheaper homes ($251K less)
Long Branch, NJ 07740 80%2,445$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($250K less)
Honolulu, HI 96819 79%2,565$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($126K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Everett, WA 98201 77%993$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($329K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Inwood, NY 11096 76%2,457$93,421$655,500$554 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · older homes
Seattle, WA 98198 76%955$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($240K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Staten Island, NY 10302 75%2,436$78,263$611,900$478 cheaper homes ($217K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Glen Cove, NY 11542 75%2,462$93,242$702,400$499 cheaper homes ($127K less) · smaller · older residents
Lynn, MA 01905 74%2,593$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($330K less) · smaller · older homes
Linden, NJ 07036 74%2,430$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($411K less) · more homeowners
Staten Island, NY 10304 73%2,439$71,561$678,700$475 cheaper homes ($150K less) · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98168 73%961$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($281K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 72%2,570$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($246K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Staten Island, NY 10310 72%2,437$106,250$633,400$474 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
North Arlington, NJ 07031 71%2,436$94,201$474,500$434 cheaper homes ($355K less) · smaller
Kearny, NJ 07032 71%2,435$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($370K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Jamaica, NY 11433 71%2,454$77,519$658,800$479 cheaper homes ($170K less) · 11 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Brockton, MA 02301 70%2,591$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($380K less) · larger
Rahway, NJ 07065 70%2,429$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($443K less) · smaller
New Rochelle, NY 10801 70%2,453$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($254K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Takoma Park, MD 20912 70%2,292$83,870$699,300$413 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33138 70%2,327$75,051$784,700$560 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Denver, CO 80214 70%825$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($270K 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.