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 Ventura, CA 93003

Ventura: median income $103,761, home value $816,300, $535/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woburn, MA 01801 94%2,628$111,185$673,500$456 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Aiea, HI 96701 90%2,509$111,173$941,600$542 pricier homes ($125K more)
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 90%947$107,687$667,100$438 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller
Phoenix, AZ 85018 88%418$93,885$862,000$517 pricier homes ($46K more)
Pearl City, HI 96782 88%2,510$108,669$874,200$603 pricier homes ($58K more)
Seattle, WA 98108 88%930$95,780$720,400$423 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98146 87%927$102,520$679,500$451 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller
Tacoma, WA 98466 87%911$101,778$602,400$351 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33176 86%2,386$86,354$638,900$426 cheaper homes ($177K less) · 6 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96819 86%2,507$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($138K more)
Seattle, WA 98118 86%930$113,762$810,500$480 7 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98133 86%943$93,662$770,300$459 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Peabody, MA 01960 85%2,638$96,501$596,700$406 cheaper homes ($220K less)
Asbury Park, NJ 07712 85%2,491$96,725$616,300$447 cheaper homes ($200K less)
Glen Cove, NY 11542 85%2,509$93,242$702,400$499 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lynnwood, WA 98037 85%950$107,281$767,300$393 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Renton, WA 98056 85%926$113,688$797,300$467 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Lynnwood, WA 98036 84%948$88,958$759,900$437 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Norwalk, CT 06851 83%2,519$111,341$587,400$407 cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller · less walkable
Honolulu, HI 96816 83%2,505$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($353K more)
Beaverton, OR 97008 83%795$96,116$578,100$338 cheaper homes ($238K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98106 83%930$124,212$706,600$448 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller · younger residents
Beverly, MA 01915 82%2,642$104,918$649,700$475 cheaper homes ($167K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Waltham, MA 02451 82%2,624$122,335$753,000$487 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33134 82%2,388$99,766$711,800$594 cheaper homes ($105K 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.