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 Clayton, CA 94517

Clayton: median income $168,921, home value $1,032,100, $481/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lincroft, NJ 07738 88%2,536$189,000$807,300$470 cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller · older homes
Holmdel, NJ 07733 87%2,532$166,849$843,300$413 cheaper homes ($189K less) · older residents
North Bend, WA 98045 87%661$175,765$938,500$494 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Morganville, NJ 07751 86%2,527$181,205$715,600$381 cheaper homes ($317K less) · larger
Walpole, MA 02081 84%2,657$156,250$687,500$396 cheaper homes ($345K less) · larger
Warren, NJ 07059 84%2,512$212,479$921,500$440 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($111K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Watchung, NJ 07069 84%2,514$171,705$883,300$405 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller · older residents
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 84%2,533$198,994$917,200$474 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($115K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Duvall, WA 98019 84%678$161,212$826,600$421 cheaper homes ($206K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Norfolk, MA 02056 83%2,653$200,720$725,200$344 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($307K less)
Duxbury, MA 02332 83%2,685$176,583$874,600$459 cheaper homes ($158K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Hanover, MA 02339 83%2,677$189,803$755,400$385 cheaper homes ($277K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Nesconset, NY 11767 83%2,578$152,985$637,900$407 cheaper homes ($394K less)
Littleton, MA 01460 82%2,640$149,722$658,300$374 cheaper homes ($374K less)
North Reading, MA 01864 82%2,659$147,768$710,500$425 cheaper homes ($322K less)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 82%2,542$172,730$909,000$395 cheaper homes ($123K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Carnation, WA 98014 82%672$164,306$940,600$446 cheaper homes ($92K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Wilmington, MA 01887 81%2,655$168,152$680,500$422 cheaper homes ($352K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Lynnfield, MA 01940 81%2,662$173,214$905,400$418 cheaper homes ($127K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 81%2,539$178,958$811,400$497 cheaper homes ($221K less) · smaller · older homes
Greenlawn, NY 11740 81%2,567$152,386$693,700$461 cheaper homes ($338K less) · older homes
Snohomish, WA 98296 81%687$177,583$927,700$406 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 80%2,539$173,573$617,900$417 cheaper homes ($414K less) · larger · older homes
Saint James, NY 11780 80%2,577$144,577$723,200$466 cheaper homes ($309K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Cresskill, NJ 07626 79%2,535$170,376$811,400$547 cheaper homes ($221K less) · more walkable · older homes

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.