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 Van Nuys, CA 91405

Van Nuys: median income $62,900, home value $737,700, $545/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Roxbury, MA 02119 81%2,595$48,488$688,600$459 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75220 79%1,244$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($238K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Fairview, NJ 07022 77%2,452$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($226K less) · smaller · older homes
Union City, NJ 07087 77%2,450$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($266K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Long Branch, NJ 07740 77%2,455$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 76%2,578$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Far Rockaway, NY 11691 76%2,466$56,135$677,000$363 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 11 min longer commute
Renton, WA 98057 76%938$68,552$648,800$376 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · newer homes
Revere, MA 02151 75%2,599$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($140K less) · more homeowners
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 75%2,460$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($243K less) · older homes
Miami, FL 33161 75%2,345$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($296K less) · more homeowners
West New York, NJ 07093 74%2,451$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($306K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 74%2,441$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($279K less) · smaller · older homes
Bronx, NY 10461 74%2,460$67,028$663,500$420 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 9 min longer commute · older homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 73%2,451$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($264K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 73%2,448$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($201K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Woodside, NY 11377 72%2,457$73,073$727,200$586 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Jamaica, NY 11432 72%2,463$74,096$864,900$597 pricier homes ($127K more) · 10 min longer commute · older homes
Phoenix, AZ 85021 72%367$59,768$470,400$321 cheaper homes ($267K less) · more homeowners
Lakewood, WA 98499 72%921$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($329K less) · smaller
Bronx, NY 10473 71%2,459$52,462$576,100$397 cheaper homes ($162K less) · 10 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80214 71%831$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($179K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01854 70%2,581$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($326K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10304 70%2,448$71,561$678,700$475 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Yonkers, NY 10701 70%2,458$64,776$370,400$306 cheaper homes ($367K less)

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.