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 Seattle, WA 98177

Seattle: median income $169,918, home value $1,048,900, $544/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Manasquan, NJ 08736 91%2,420$174,097$880,900$691 cheaper homes ($168K less) · smaller
Plainview, NY 11803 88%2,425$187,514$800,200$575 cheaper homes ($249K less) · 6 min longer commute
New Providence, NJ 07974 87%2,385$172,894$758,400$549 cheaper homes ($291K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Kensington, MD 20895 87%2,317$173,625$781,500$396 cheaper homes ($267K less)
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 86%2,386$203,988$925,700$502 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($123K less) · less walkable
Brielle, NJ 08730 86%2,420$172,250$849,100$641 cheaper homes ($200K less) · smaller
West Hills, CA 91307 86%956$151,190$963,900$569 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Marblehead, MA 01945 85%2,490$179,583$942,200$536 cheaper homes ($107K less) · older homes
Milton, MA 02186 85%2,488$188,033$933,200$547 cheaper homes ($116K less) · older homes
Glen Head, NY 11545 85%2,417$182,528$1,101,100$601 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Paramus, NJ 07652 84%2,392$144,349$813,900$504 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($235K less)
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 84%2,417$182,674$988,300$581 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22205 84%2,319$201,094$1,092,800$542 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($44K more)
Agoura Hills, CA 91301 83%960$163,317$1,116,200$584 pricier homes ($67K more) · newer homes
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 81%2,388$183,655$718,200$475 cheaper homes ($331K less) · less walkable
Closter, NJ 07624 81%2,396$190,469$871,300$541 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cresskill, NJ 07626 81%2,397$170,376$811,400$547 cheaper homes ($238K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Hillsdale, NJ 07642 81%2,391$186,688$677,500$447 cheaper homes ($371K less) · smaller · less walkable
Albertson, NY 11507 81%2,417$164,028$860,000$598 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33158 81%2,737$201,597$1,026,600$599 higher income ($32K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Wilmette, IL 60091 81%1,724$189,909$807,200$457 cheaper homes ($242K less) · 6 min longer commute
La Crescenta, CA 91214 81%958$140,121$1,135,200$782 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($86K more) · more renters
Reading, MA 01867 80%2,478$165,912$809,000$473 cheaper homes ($240K less) · less walkable
Oradell, NJ 07649 80%2,393$221,322$737,800$500 higher income ($51K more) · cheaper homes ($311K less) · smaller
Great Neck, NY 11020 80%2,414$167,148$1,132,200$750 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute

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.