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 Riverside, CA 92501

Riverside: median income $81,886, home value $509,300, $410/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tacoma, WA 98409 90%951$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($115K less)
Riverdale, MD 20737 88%2,255$86,951$390,500$286 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Seattle, WA 98168 88%967$88,083$548,000$369 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Everett, WA 98201 87%999$74,554$499,800$384 older residents
Bremerton, WA 98310 87%979$75,878$440,500$286 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Aurora, CO 80010 86%796$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98444 86%947$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Lake Worth, FL 33460 85%2,270$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98198 85%961$86,239$589,500$361 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Dover, NJ 07801 84%2,373$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($117K less) · older residents
Hempstead, NY 11550 84%2,422$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · older residents
Auburn, WA 98002 84%954$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Carteret, NJ 07008 83%2,390$97,021$406,000$355 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Lakewood, WA 98499 83%949$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($101K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 82%2,381$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Paterson, NJ 07502 82%2,391$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($134K less) · older homes
Miami, FL 33169 82%2,279$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger
Kent, WA 98030 82%959$91,761$582,400$319 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · newer homes
Lynn, MA 01905 81%2,552$84,333$499,200$377 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Brockton, MA 02301 81%2,550$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Rahway, NJ 07065 81%2,388$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($123K less) · older residents
Roselle, NJ 07203 81%2,388$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($129K less) · older residents · older homes
Hyattsville, MD 20784 81%2,256$86,509$369,900$275 cheaper homes ($139K less) · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85007 81%306$63,616$480,600$340 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Portland, OR 97266 81%840$72,577$445,700$302 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · older residents

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.