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 Los Angeles, CA 90037

Los Angeles: median income $57,622, home value $666,400, $433/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 77%2,457$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · older residents
Lynn, MA 01902 74%2,600$67,046$478,000$348 cheaper homes ($188K less) · more homeowners
Bronx, NY 10461 74%2,457$67,028$663,500$420 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 73%2,438$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33150 72%2,335$40,873$453,400$404 cheaper homes ($213K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Far Rockaway, NY 11691 71%2,463$56,135$677,000$363 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Mattapan, MA 02126 70%2,593$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Chelsea, MA 02150 70%2,596$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Bronx, NY 10466 69%2,457$65,969$616,800$382 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07017 68%2,438$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($292K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Orange, NJ 07050 68%2,437$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($302K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Passaic, NJ 07055 68%2,442$55,371$429,900$337 cheaper homes ($237K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33127 68%2,336$41,230$408,800$464 cheaper homes ($258K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33161 68%2,335$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($225K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 67%2,449$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($155K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 67%2,428$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($273K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Irvington, NJ 07111 67%2,437$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($331K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Everett, MA 02149 66%2,595$85,218$610,000$375 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · more homeowners
Newark, NJ 07107 66%2,439$51,242$379,500$262 cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Brooklyn, NY 11207 66%2,455$56,523$656,600$478 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Corona, NY 11368 66%2,457$72,270$742,900$487 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Dorchester, MA 02121 65%2,594$43,136$590,200$269 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Newark, NJ 07106 65%2,437$53,440$355,400$243 cheaper homes ($311K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11208 65%2,456$62,077$679,500$417 larger · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
East Orange, NJ 07018 64%2,438$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($313K 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.