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 91406

Van Nuys: median income $78,429, home value $808,900, $571/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Long Branch, NJ 07740 86%2,457$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($230K less) · smaller
Revere, MA 02151 85%2,601$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($212K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Everett, WA 98201 82%972$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($309K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10304 81%2,450$71,561$678,700$475 cheaper homes ($130K less) · 10 min longer commute
Hyde Park, MA 02136 80%2,596$96,737$578,400$426 cheaper homes ($231K less) · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33138 80%2,348$75,051$784,700$560 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Framingham, MA 01702 79%2,580$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($226K less)
Hempstead, NY 11550 79%2,474$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($344K less)
Denver, CO 80214 79%833$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($250K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
New Rochelle, NY 10801 78%2,465$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($234K less)
Honolulu, HI 96817 77%2,548$75,476$916,100$590 pricier homes ($107K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98198 77%933$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($219K less) · more homeowners
Takoma Park, MD 20912 76%2,305$83,870$699,300$413 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller
Quincy, MA 02169 75%2,602$96,290$581,600$460 cheaper homes ($227K less)
Kearny, NJ 07032 75%2,447$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($350K less) · older homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 75%2,453$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($335K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33161 75%2,347$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($367K less)
Miami, FL 33166 75%2,343$81,581$530,300$453 cheaper homes ($279K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10302 74%2,448$78,263$611,900$478 cheaper homes ($197K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Jamaica, NY 11432 74%2,465$74,096$864,900$597 pricier homes ($56K more) · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Glen Cove, NY 11542 74%2,473$93,242$702,400$499 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98133 74%956$93,662$770,300$459 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 5 min shorter commute
North Arlington, NJ 07031 73%2,447$94,201$474,500$434 cheaper homes ($334K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96819 73%2,548$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($146K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Malden, MA 02148 72%2,598$100,606$633,500$451 cheaper homes ($175K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older 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.