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.

Reset

Towns most like Long Beach, CA 90804

Long Beach: median income $71,614, home value $736,000, $568/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Framingham, MA 01702 79%2,575$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($153K less) · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75220 79%1,228$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($236K less)
Long Branch, NJ 07740 78%2,450$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($157K less) · more homeowners
Wahiawa, HI 96786 78%2,567$85,554$807,900$511 pricier homes ($72K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Renton, WA 98057 75%969$68,552$648,800$376 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · more walkable
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 71%2,436$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($277K less) · older homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 70%2,444$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($199K less) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Denver, CO 80214 69%831$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($177K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Lowell, MA 01854 68%2,579$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($324K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Alexandria, VA 22311 68%2,291$87,626$760,300$379 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Fairview, NJ 07022 67%2,447$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller · more walkable
Union City, NJ 07087 67%2,446$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($264K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Roxbury, MA 02119 66%2,592$48,488$688,600$459 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more walkable
Norwalk, CT 06854 66%2,476$86,679$460,500$436 cheaper homes ($276K less) · more homeowners
West New York, NJ 07093 66%2,447$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($305K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96818 66%2,566$100,567$667,900$576 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Kent, WA 98032 66%964$82,636$520,800$327 cheaper homes ($215K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98188 66%968$76,438$456,400$323 cheaper homes ($280K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
North Bergen, NJ 07047 65%2,446$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($263K less) · larger · older residents
Woodside, NY 11377 65%2,453$73,073$727,200$586 larger · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 65%2,299$68,846$527,900$298 cheaper homes ($208K less) · smaller · more walkable
Phoenix, AZ 85021 65%348$59,768$470,400$321 cheaper homes ($266K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Revere, MA 02151 64%2,596$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger · more homeowners
Danbury, CT 06810 64%2,474$76,933$402,100$287 cheaper homes ($334K less) · more homeowners
Everett, WA 98204 64%998$68,513$414,000$353 cheaper homes ($322K less) · newer homes

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.