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 Lakewood, CA 90713

Lakewood: median income $133,419, home value $849,400, $685/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deer Park, NY 11729 79%2,480$136,939$539,700$455 cheaper homes ($310K less) · more apartments and townhomes
East Islip, NY 11730 78%2,488$145,652$594,200$444 cheaper homes ($255K less) · smaller
Oakhurst, NJ 07755 74%2,446$134,338$768,400$582 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Centereach, NY 11720 74%2,492$134,898$518,600$391 cheaper homes ($331K less) · newer homes
Islip Terrace, NY 11752 72%2,487$151,917$527,700$380 cheaper homes ($322K less) · smaller
Lindenhurst, NY 11757 72%2,478$127,889$508,100$439 cheaper homes ($341K less) · larger · more walkable
Hicksville, NY 11801 72%2,470$145,788$625,100$528 cheaper homes ($224K less) · 7 min longer commute · more walkable
Hampton Bays, NY 11946 72%2,521$133,918$737,400$659 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Bethpage, NY 11714 71%2,472$120,172$600,700$496 cheaper homes ($249K less) · more walkable
Levittown, NY 11756 71%2,470$146,019$584,300$460 cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Billerica, MA 01821 70%2,580$149,042$615,100$382 cheaper homes ($234K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
North Babylon, NY 11703 70%2,480$137,158$521,700$424 cheaper homes ($328K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
West Babylon, NY 11704 70%2,479$129,195$527,500$459 cheaper homes ($322K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Huntington Station, NY 11746 69%2,478$164,589$695,200$444 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger
Smithtown, NY 11787 69%2,485$143,101$679,800$424 cheaper homes ($170K less) · newer homes
West Islip, NY 11795 69%2,481$177,269$619,900$451 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($230K less)
Kaneohe, HI 96744 69%2,559$131,653$1,039,900$690 pricier homes ($191K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Swansea, MA 02777 68%2,585$116,364$445,000$356 cheaper homes ($404K less) · smaller
Clark, NJ 07066 68%2,429$133,504$609,600$413 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Franklin Square, NY 11010 68%2,462$142,321$665,800$609 cheaper homes ($184K less) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Islip, NY 11751 68%2,485$116,559$563,100$434 cheaper homes ($286K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Paramus, NJ 07652 67%2,440$144,349$813,900$504 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents · more walkable
Hazlet, NJ 07730 67%2,437$125,338$478,600$375 cheaper homes ($371K less) · smaller
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 67%2,490$112,180$487,300$436 cheaper homes ($362K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Hauppauge, NY 11788 67%2,486$149,726$653,900$414 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.