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.

Reset

Towns most like Hercules, CA 94547

Hercules: median income $129,397, home value $769,400, $430/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Staten Island, NY 10307 92%2,543$147,184$801,300$462 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Matawan, NJ 07747 85%2,545$124,383$485,600$372 cheaper homes ($284K less) · older homes
Mililani, HI 96789 83%2,410$127,066$920,400$602 pricier homes ($151K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10312 82%2,546$110,719$723,600$451 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Renton, WA 98059 81%656$138,654$872,000$451 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger · younger residents
Staten Island, NY 10309 79%2,544$116,098$767,200$455 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Annapolis, MD 21403 79%2,450$123,329$582,500$366 cheaper homes ($187K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Warrington, PA 18976 78%2,501$123,285$536,200$290 cheaper homes ($233K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Edmonds, WA 98026 78%679$133,638$821,700$450 pricier homes ($52K more) · 11 min shorter commute
East Brunswick, NJ 08816 77%2,536$143,586$522,700$357 cheaper homes ($247K less) · larger · less walkable
Springfield, VA 22150 77%2,416$123,114$635,900$335 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 76%2,556$126,591$647,400$474 cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller · older residents
Canton, MA 02021 75%2,678$143,381$710,600$425 cheaper homes ($59K less) · less walkable
Englishtown, NJ 07726 75%2,541$149,197$647,100$356 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Old Bridge, NJ 08857 75%2,541$109,312$486,600$372 cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger · more renters
Renton, WA 98058 75%652$115,201$676,000$385 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · younger residents
Freehold, NJ 07728 74%2,545$114,072$505,400$342 cheaper homes ($264K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Bowie, MD 20716 74%2,439$125,034$429,600$250 cheaper homes ($340K less)
Pompano Beach, FL 33067 74%2,563$131,216$745,700$351 9 min shorter commute · less walkable
Mukilteo, WA 98275 74%685$132,861$884,900$418 pricier homes ($116K more) · 12 min shorter commute
North Andover, MA 01845 73%2,672$140,670$732,900$367 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Tewksbury, MA 01876 73%2,667$130,204$577,000$382 cheaper homes ($192K less) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Franklin, MA 02038 73%2,665$145,773$611,700$343 cheaper homes ($158K less) · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Mansfield, MA 02048 73%2,675$125,273$603,500$353 cheaper homes ($166K less) · less walkable
Stoughton, MA 02072 73%2,679$104,794$523,800$335 cheaper homes ($246K less) · less 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.