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 Tacoma, WA 98418

Tacoma: median income $89,706, home value $413,400, $272/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cranston, RI 02910 89%2,496$90,698$338,700$271 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Brentwood, MD 20722 83%2,331$91,875$381,300$246 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Stockton, CA 95204 82%642$75,548$387,100$285 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · newer homes
Hillside, NJ 07205 81%2,401$99,528$397,400$353 larger · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Bogota, NJ 07603 80%2,404$103,299$501,600$391 pricier homes ($88K more) · 6 min longer commute
Keansburg, NJ 07734 80%2,413$82,029$346,900$340 cheaper homes ($67K less) · newer homes
Dallas, TX 75223 80%1,673$73,318$265,100$271 cheaper homes ($148K less) · newer homes
Mount Ephraim, NJ 08059 79%2,387$89,375$249,700$256 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · newer homes
Pawtucket, RI 02861 78%2,497$83,411$315,400$252 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Plainfield, NJ 07062 78%2,395$98,344$396,100$417 larger · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07063 78%2,394$93,304$392,500$383 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
South River, NJ 08882 78%2,402$96,147$405,200$331 larger · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Franklin Park, IL 60131 78%1,725$76,658$287,000$278 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · newer homes
Runnemede, NJ 08078 77%2,389$86,741$250,800$235 cheaper homes ($163K less) · newer homes
Levittown, PA 19056 77%2,388$111,594$378,400$237 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · newer homes
Norfolk, VA 23509 76%2,436$72,816$258,000$211 cheaper homes ($155K less) · newer homes
Sacramento, CA 95820 76%602$78,436$416,900$375 larger · newer homes
Sacramento, CA 95822 76%604$86,801$466,000$345 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · newer homes
Warwick, RI 02888 75%2,499$91,867$350,000$317 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · older residents
North Providence, RI 02911 75%2,492$89,456$360,200$251 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Levittown, PA 19057 75%2,389$93,738$328,000$263 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · more homeowners
Astoria, OR 97103 75%98$75,147$460,100$292 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · less walkable
Stratford, CT 06615 74%2,436$81,534$364,700$306 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · older residents
Stratford, NJ 08084 74%2,392$98,427$273,800$257 cheaper homes ($140K less) · newer homes
Audubon, NJ 08106 74%2,387$111,002$304,800$280 cheaper homes ($109K less)

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.