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 91411

Van Nuys: median income $74,617, home value $1,017,900, $676/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miami, FL 33138 76%2,346$75,051$784,700$560 cheaper homes ($233K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Long Branch, NJ 07740 74%2,456$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($439K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Denver, CO 80214 74%832$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($459K less)
Palisades Park, NJ 07650 71%2,453$94,743$719,600$511 cheaper homes ($298K less) · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96817 71%2,549$75,476$916,100$590 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Framingham, MA 01702 70%2,579$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($435K less) · larger · less walkable
White Plains, NY 10606 70%2,464$112,270$682,300$492 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($336K less)
Renton, WA 98057 70%939$68,552$648,800$376 cheaper homes ($369K less) · smaller · newer homes
Wallington, NJ 07057 69%2,447$85,862$528,300$392 cheaper homes ($490K less) · smaller
New Rochelle, NY 10801 67%2,464$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($443K less) · larger · older homes
Jamaica, NY 11432 67%2,464$74,096$864,900$597 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Roxbury, MA 02119 66%2,596$48,488$688,600$459 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($329K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33166 66%2,341$81,581$530,300$453 cheaper homes ($488K less) · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85003 66%370$60,461$616,800$389 cheaper homes ($401K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 65%2,451$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($435K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Takoma Park, MD 20912 65%2,304$83,870$699,300$413 cheaper homes ($319K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Wahiawa, HI 96786 65%2,553$85,554$807,900$511 cheaper homes ($210K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98133 65%958$93,662$770,300$459 cheaper homes ($248K less) · larger · more homeowners
Dorchester, MA 02125 64%2,597$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($361K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Revere, MA 02151 64%2,600$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($421K less) · larger · more homeowners
Quincy, MA 02169 64%2,601$96,290$581,600$460 cheaper homes ($436K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22311 64%2,299$87,626$760,300$379 cheaper homes ($258K less) · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Fairview, NJ 07022 63%2,453$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller
Woodside, NY 11377 63%2,458$73,073$727,200$586 cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96818 63%2,552$100,567$667,900$576 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($350K less) · larger

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.