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 Richmond, CA 94804

Richmond: median income $91,037, home value $631,900, $535/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hempstead, NY 11550 87%2,578$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($167K less)
Seattle, WA 98108 87%664$95,780$720,400$423 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller
Hyde Park, MA 02136 84%2,682$96,737$578,400$426 cheaper homes ($54K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98146 84%661$102,520$679,500$451 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98168 84%661$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($84K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Linden, NJ 07036 83%2,546$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($214K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98198 83%654$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($42K less) · newer homes
Carteret, NJ 07008 82%2,548$97,021$406,000$355 cheaper homes ($226K less) · smaller
Clifton, NJ 07012 82%2,548$101,737$483,800$498 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Rahway, NJ 07065 82%2,545$91,461$386,400$395 cheaper homes ($246K less)
Glen Cove, NY 11542 82%2,575$93,242$702,400$499 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · older residents
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 81%2,549$101,740$483,700$369 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33155 81%2,582$81,158$581,700$490 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 81%682$107,687$667,100$438 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07062 80%2,539$98,344$396,100$417 cheaper homes ($236K less) · smaller
Roselle, NJ 07203 80%2,546$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($252K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33145 80%2,586$73,995$581,600$485 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98178 80%661$99,505$660,400$367 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Beverly, MA 01915 79%2,691$104,918$649,700$475 Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, NJ 07109 79%2,549$90,438$420,800$372 cheaper homes ($211K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Englewood, NJ 07631 79%2,557$102,571$544,100$428 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Inwood, NY 11096 79%2,572$93,421$655,500$554 smaller · older homes
Miami, FL 33157 79%2,585$81,589$547,300$412 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · more homeowners
Everett, WA 98201 79%695$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($132K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 78%2,550$111,711$524,400$439 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.