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 Long Beach, CA 90802

Long Beach: median income $74,510, home value $542,600, $555/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07306 91%2,447$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Jersey City, NJ 07304 88%2,447$70,986$537,200$429 6 min longer commute
West New York, NJ 07093 87%2,450$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22311 83%2,294$87,626$760,300$379 pricier homes ($218K more) · smaller
Jersey City, NJ 07307 82%2,448$83,297$582,600$567 pricier homes ($40K more) · more homeowners · older homes
Astoria, NY 11106 80%2,454$84,867$610,400$652 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Union City, NJ 07087 79%2,449$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Miami Beach, FL 33141 75%2,331$68,738$435,000$405 cheaper homes ($108K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Bayonne, NJ 07002 74%2,445$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · more homeowners
Harrison, NJ 07029 74%2,443$88,333$499,600$340 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Woodside, NY 11377 74%2,455$73,073$727,200$586 pricier homes ($185K more) · larger · older residents
Jersey City, NJ 07305 73%2,446$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger · more homeowners
Hackensack, NJ 07601 73%2,447$84,277$393,700$388 cheaper homes ($149K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Palisades Park, NJ 07650 72%2,450$94,743$719,600$511 pricier homes ($177K more) · smaller · older residents
Yonkers, NY 10701 72%2,457$64,776$370,400$306 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger
Chicago, IL 60612 72%1,745$60,922$364,600$292 cheaper homes ($178K less)
Chicago, IL 60616 72%1,748$73,819$387,200$318 cheaper homes ($155K less) · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 71%2,578$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($40K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 71%2,596$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($115K more) · more homeowners · older homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 71%2,449$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96826 70%2,559$68,296$507,200$547 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Stamford, CT 06902 69%2,473$94,843$510,400$399 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · more homeowners
Wallington, NJ 07057 69%2,445$85,862$528,300$392 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Sunnyside, NY 11104 69%2,455$80,709$610,100$631 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · older residents
East Rutherford, NJ 07073 68%2,445$97,993$458,100$397 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · more homeowners

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.