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 90746

Carson: median income $113,364, home value $770,100, $503/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethpage, NY 11714 91%2,479$120,172$600,700$496 cheaper homes ($169K less)
Lindenhurst, NY 11757 86%2,485$127,889$508,100$439 cheaper homes ($262K less) · larger
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 84%2,431$130,205$470,900$386 cheaper homes ($299K less)
West Babylon, NY 11704 84%2,486$129,195$527,500$459 cheaper homes ($243K less) · larger
Deer Park, NY 11729 84%2,487$136,939$539,700$455 cheaper homes ($230K less) · less walkable
Islip, NY 11751 84%2,493$116,559$563,100$434 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller
Lynn, MA 01904 83%2,602$99,614$560,500$391 cheaper homes ($210K less) · older homes
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 83%2,452$123,152$627,200$556 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Farmingdale, NY 11735 83%2,482$139,443$591,500$501 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($179K less)
Saugus, MA 01906 82%2,600$101,539$603,400$393 cheaper homes ($167K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Clark, NJ 07066 82%2,436$133,504$609,600$413 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Hazlet, NJ 07730 82%2,444$125,338$478,600$375 cheaper homes ($292K less) · smaller
East Meadow, NY 11554 81%2,475$133,971$631,800$560 cheaper homes ($138K less) · 5 min longer commute
Kaneohe, HI 96744 81%2,551$131,653$1,039,900$690 pricier homes ($270K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98178 81%964$99,505$660,400$367 cheaper homes ($110K less) · more renters
Braintree, MA 02184 80%2,601$122,214$656,800$428 cheaper homes ($113K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Colonia, NJ 07067 80%2,436$122,713$493,100$393 cheaper homes ($277K less)
Paramus, NJ 07652 79%2,448$144,349$813,900$504 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents
Franklin Square, NY 11010 79%2,469$142,321$665,800$609 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($104K less) · 6 min longer commute
Copiague, NY 11726 79%2,484$128,425$481,500$468 cheaper homes ($289K less) · younger residents
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 79%2,497$112,180$487,300$436 cheaper homes ($283K less) · less walkable
Hicksville, NY 11801 79%2,477$145,788$625,100$528 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98166 79%963$114,969$824,400$420 pricier homes ($54K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Billerica, MA 01821 78%2,587$149,042$615,100$382 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($155K less) · less walkable
North Babylon, NY 11703 78%2,487$137,158$521,700$424 cheaper homes ($248K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute

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.