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 South Gate, CA 90280

South Gate: median income $74,651, home value $636,300, $484/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hempstead, NY 11550 83%2,467$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($171K less)
Brockton, MA 02301 79%2,594$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($187K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lynn, MA 01905 75%2,596$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Linden, NJ 07036 74%2,434$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($218K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33161 74%2,330$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 73%2,425$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($243K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33162 73%2,329$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98168 73%960$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Aurora, CO 80010 72%838$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($212K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Denver, CO 80219 72%828$68,415$454,600$344 cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Everett, WA 98201 72%992$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller
Dover, NJ 07801 70%2,417$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Worth, FL 33460 70%2,318$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($231K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33147 69%2,328$50,704$381,000$374 cheaper homes ($255K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33169 69%2,326$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · newer homes
Tacoma, WA 98444 69%939$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller · newer homes
Revere, MA 02151 68%2,595$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Taunton, MA 02780 67%2,592$74,471$413,900$326 cheaper homes ($222K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Kearny, NJ 07032 67%2,439$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Paterson, NJ 07502 67%2,436$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($261K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10302 67%2,440$78,263$611,900$478 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Hyattsville, MD 20784 67%2,302$86,509$369,900$275 cheaper homes ($266K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 67%2,324$75,952$423,300$350 cheaper homes ($213K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Clifton, NJ 07011 66%2,439$74,194$428,900$426 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Roselle, NJ 07203 66%2,433$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($256K less) · smaller

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.