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 Lynwood, CA 90262

Lynwood: median income $75,194, home value $597,600, $463/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hempstead, NY 11550 82%2,467$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($133K less) · older residents
Brockton, MA 02301 81%2,595$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($148K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lynn, MA 01905 80%2,597$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Aurora, CO 80010 78%839$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 77%2,426$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($204K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Paterson, NJ 07502 77%2,436$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($222K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80219 77%829$68,415$454,600$344 cheaper homes ($143K less) · more single-family homes
Seattle, WA 98168 77%961$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · newer homes
Miami, FL 33162 76%2,329$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Linden, NJ 07036 75%2,434$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($180K less) · older residents
Dover, NJ 07801 74%2,418$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller · older residents
Everett, WA 98201 74%994$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33161 73%2,330$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($156K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Lake Worth, FL 33460 73%2,318$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($192K less) · smaller · newer homes
Riverdale, MD 20737 72%2,301$86,951$390,500$286 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33169 72%2,326$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($194K less) · newer homes
Tacoma, WA 98444 72%940$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller · newer homes
Hyattsville, MD 20784 71%2,302$86,509$369,900$275 cheaper homes ($228K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33147 71%2,328$50,704$381,000$374 cheaper homes ($217K less)
Taunton, MA 02780 70%2,592$74,471$413,900$326 cheaper homes ($184K less) · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 70%2,324$75,952$423,300$350 cheaper homes ($174K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Lowell, MA 01850 69%2,579$69,780$390,800$313 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
New Bedford, MA 02745 69%2,602$74,034$368,600$316 cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller · older residents
Plainfield, NJ 07063 69%2,425$93,304$392,500$383 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Roselle, NJ 07203 68%2,434$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($218K less) · smaller · older residents

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.