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 Gardena, CA 90247

Gardena: median income $77,333, home value $659,100, $453/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Long Branch, NJ 07740 94%2,455$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Everett, WA 98201 92%995$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($159K less)
Framingham, MA 01702 88%2,580$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Denver, CO 80214 88%835$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Revere, MA 02151 87%2,601$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 6 min longer commute
Norwalk, CT 06854 87%2,481$86,679$460,500$436 cheaper homes ($199K less)
Seattle, WA 98188 85%959$76,438$456,400$323 cheaper homes ($203K less) · smaller
Lodi, NJ 07644 84%2,448$89,305$475,000$433 cheaper homes ($184K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hialeah, FL 33014 84%2,328$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($235K less)
Dallas, TX 75220 84%1,236$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($159K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98198 84%956$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more homeowners
Lowell, MA 01852 83%2,586$80,906$424,300$328 cheaper homes ($235K less)
Brockton, MA 02301 83%2,601$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($210K less)
Garfield, NJ 07026 83%2,447$79,700$475,500$381 cheaper homes ($184K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Miami, FL 33161 83%2,335$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($217K less)
Miami, FL 33166 83%2,330$81,581$530,300$453 cheaper homes ($129K less) · smaller
Kearny, NJ 07032 82%2,445$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($200K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Beaverton, OR 97005 82%836$78,239$504,300$299 cheaper homes ($155K less) · smaller
Federal Way, WA 98003 82%951$75,319$476,600$314 cheaper homes ($183K less) · newer homes
Kent, WA 98032 82%955$82,636$520,800$327 cheaper homes ($138K less) · newer homes
Lowell, MA 01854 81%2,584$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($247K less) · smaller
North Bergen, NJ 07047 81%2,451$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($186K less) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
New Rochelle, NY 10801 81%2,463$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Hempstead, NY 11550 81%2,473$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($194K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lake Worth, FL 33460 81%2,323$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($254K less)

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.