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 Carson, CA 90745

Carson: median income $107,988, home value $679,100, $593/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pearl City, HI 96782 92%2,559$108,669$874,200$603 pricier homes ($195K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98146 90%969$102,520$679,500$451 smaller
Saugus, MA 01906 89%2,601$101,539$603,400$393 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Amityville, NY 11701 87%2,484$117,033$499,500$442 cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller
Everett, WA 98203 87%997$107,376$608,600$359 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Peabody, MA 01960 84%2,604$96,501$596,700$406 cheaper homes ($82K less)
West Babylon, NY 11704 84%2,487$129,195$527,500$459 cheaper homes ($152K less)
Waipahu, HI 96797 84%2,562$114,654$826,300$635 pricier homes ($147K more) · newer homes
Methuen, MA 01844 83%2,592$113,212$499,800$341 cheaper homes ($179K less)
Seattle, WA 98178 83%967$99,505$660,400$367 smaller
Miami, FL 33155 82%2,330$81,158$581,700$490 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($97K less)
Aiea, HI 96701 81%2,558$111,173$941,600$542 pricier homes ($263K more)
Seattle, WA 98108 81%971$95,780$720,400$423 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Copiague, NY 11726 80%2,485$128,425$481,500$468 cheaper homes ($198K less) · smaller · younger residents
Clifton, NJ 07013 79%2,444$116,273$478,100$434 cheaper homes ($201K less) · smaller · older residents
Kaneohe, HI 96744 79%2,550$131,653$1,039,900$690 pricier homes ($361K more)
Seattle, WA 98166 79%965$114,969$824,400$420 pricier homes ($145K more) · smaller
Brockton, MA 02302 78%2,603$92,274$424,800$366 cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller
Union, NJ 07083 78%2,440$121,887$455,300$392 cheaper homes ($224K less)
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 78%2,448$129,073$503,400$451 cheaper homes ($176K less) · smaller
Freeport, NY 11520 78%2,476$121,748$506,100$406 cheaper homes ($173K less) · 9 min longer commute
Bay Shore, NY 11706 78%2,493$119,603$494,300$426 cheaper homes ($185K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Patchogue, NY 11772 78%2,506$105,245$474,800$400 cheaper homes ($204K less) · less walkable
Honolulu, HI 96819 78%2,556$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($276K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98168 78%967$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · more renters

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.