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 Freedom, CA 95019

Freedom: median income $67,474, home value $735,200, $711/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Renton, WA 98057 68%728$68,552$648,800$376 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · older residents
Dallas, TX 75220 66%1,435$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($235K less) · larger
Wahiawa, HI 96786 64%2,413$85,554$807,900$511 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Fairview, NJ 07022 62%2,552$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger · older residents
Lakewood, WA 98499 59%708$67,292$408,500$327 cheaper homes ($327K less) · larger
Long Branch, NJ 07740 58%2,559$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · more homeowners
South Hackensack, NJ 07606 57%2,549$84,527$546,500$484 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · older residents
Denver, CO 80214 55%925$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($176K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98148 55%727$87,342$607,900$331 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger · more homeowners
Roxbury, MA 02119 54%2,683$48,488$688,600$459 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Phoenix, AZ 85003 54%598$60,461$616,800$389 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger · older residents
Kent, WA 98032 54%722$82,636$520,800$327 cheaper homes ($214K less) · larger · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98188 54%727$76,438$456,400$323 cheaper homes ($279K less) · larger · older residents
Everett, WA 98204 54%758$68,513$414,000$353 cheaper homes ($321K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98409 54%710$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($341K less) · larger · more homeowners
Lowell, MA 01854 53%2,667$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($323K less) · larger · older homes
Everett, WA 98201 53%764$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($235K less) · larger · older residents
Framingham, MA 01702 52%2,666$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger
Lawrence, MA 01843 52%2,675$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Wallington, NJ 07057 52%2,546$85,862$528,300$392 cheaper homes ($207K less) · larger · older residents
Auburn, WA 98002 52%717$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($314K less) · larger · more homeowners
Tacoma, WA 98444 52%706$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · more homeowners
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 51%2,542$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($276K less) · larger · older residents
Miami, FL 33161 51%2,547$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($294K less) · larger · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 51%2,538$66,100$383,400$347 cheaper homes ($352K less) · larger

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.