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 Garden Grove, CA 92845

Garden Grove: median income $136,485, home value $926,200, $738/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paramus, NJ 07652 87%2,438$144,349$813,900$504 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 86%2,442$123,152$627,200$556 cheaper homes ($299K less) · larger
Kaneohe, HI 96744 84%2,563$131,653$1,039,900$690 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
Oakhurst, NJ 07755 82%2,443$134,338$768,400$582 cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller · younger residents
Farmingdale, NY 11735 82%2,472$139,443$591,500$501 cheaper homes ($335K less) · larger
Carle Place, NY 11514 81%2,462$151,964$722,500$534 cheaper homes ($204K less) · smaller
Bethpage, NY 11714 81%2,469$120,172$600,700$496 cheaper homes ($326K less)
Thornwood, NY 10594 80%2,453$163,542$683,200$506 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($243K less) · smaller
Franklin Square, NY 11010 80%2,459$142,321$665,800$609 cheaper homes ($260K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
East Meadow, NY 11554 80%2,466$133,971$631,800$560 cheaper homes ($294K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Clark, NJ 07066 79%2,426$133,504$609,600$413 cheaper homes ($317K less)
Babylon, NY 11702 79%2,478$137,652$626,900$455 cheaper homes ($299K less)
Belmar, NJ 07719 78%2,441$119,828$700,900$488 cheaper homes ($225K less)
Westbury, NY 11590 78%2,465$152,960$633,800$516 cheaper homes ($292K less) · larger
Valhalla, NY 10595 77%2,453$123,438$723,100$451 cheaper homes ($203K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hicksville, NY 11801 77%2,467$145,788$625,100$528 cheaper homes ($301K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Edmonds, WA 98026 77%997$133,638$821,700$450 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · newer homes
White Plains, NY 10607 76%2,451$168,603$673,200$454 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($253K less) · smaller
Edmonds, WA 98020 76%995$130,319$1,031,500$625 pricier homes ($105K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98166 76%971$114,969$824,400$420 cheaper homes ($102K less) · more renters
Oceanside, NY 11572 75%2,462$148,790$634,500$487 cheaper homes ($292K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Sayville, NY 11782 75%2,490$147,672$637,300$507 cheaper homes ($289K less) · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98155 75%991$131,540$816,400$460 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger
Saint James, NY 11780 74%2,486$144,577$723,200$466 cheaper homes ($203K less) · less walkable
Springfield, VA 22151 74%2,280$156,015$655,800$350 cheaper homes ($270K 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.