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 El Monte, CA 91731

El Monte: median income $62,215, home value $635,600, $501/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miami, FL 33161 86%2,321$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger
Lake Worth, FL 33460 84%2,309$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($230K less)
Everett, WA 98201 83%985$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($136K less)
Aurora, CO 80010 82%825$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98444 80%932$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($219K less) · newer homes
Lakewood, WA 98499 80%934$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($227K less) · newer homes
Miami, FL 33162 79%2,320$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33147 77%2,319$50,704$381,000$374 cheaper homes ($255K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33169 77%2,318$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85007 77%344$63,616$480,600$340 cheaper homes ($155K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Dallas, TX 75220 76%1,221$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($135K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Portland, OR 97233 76%824$60,198$414,600$267 cheaper homes ($221K less)
Tacoma, WA 98409 76%936$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($241K less) · newer homes
Brockton, MA 02301 75%2,582$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($186K less) · larger
Plainfield, NJ 07060 75%2,413$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($242K less) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85006 75%347$58,248$408,100$311 cheaper homes ($228K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 74%2,421$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Pompano Beach, FL 33060 74%2,315$64,819$377,500$330 cheaper homes ($258K less)
Miami, FL 33150 74%2,321$40,873$453,400$404 cheaper homes ($182K less)
Paterson, NJ 07502 73%2,423$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Long Branch, NJ 07740 73%2,437$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($57K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Sparks, NV 89431 73%390$66,592$365,100$294 cheaper homes ($271K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Auburn, WA 98002 73%939$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($214K less) · newer homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 72%2,434$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Dover, NJ 07801 72%2,405$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($243K 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.