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 Dorchester, MA 02125

Dorchester: median income $82,953, home value $657,100, $553/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07307 91%187$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 5 min longer commute
Oakland, CA 94606 80%2,683$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($146K more) · more renters · newer homes
Bayonne, NJ 07002 78%194$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($197K less) · larger · newer homes
New Rochelle, NY 10801 78%170$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($82K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Woodside, NY 11377 78%182$73,073$727,200$586 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · older residents
Astoria, NY 11106 77%182$84,867$610,400$652 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Wallington, NJ 07057 75%186$85,862$528,300$392 cheaper homes ($129K less) · smaller · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 75%190$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Jersey City, NJ 07306 74%189$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11230 74%189$70,027$874,500$458 pricier homes ($217K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Chicago, IL 60647 74%851$107,060$586,200$403 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
New York, NY 10033 73%179$75,040$695,000$628 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Sunnyside, NY 11104 73%182$80,709$610,100$631 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Chicago, IL 60625 73%851$85,703$401,900$333 cheaper homes ($255K less) · larger
Los Angeles, CA 90016 73%2,597$73,516$968,900$687 pricier homes ($312K more) · more single-family homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 72%185$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($184K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10031 72%180$65,283$609,700$623 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Jackson Heights, NY 11372 72%180$78,606$469,400$528 cheaper homes ($188K less) · larger · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90019 72%2,595$73,934$1,273,700$619 pricier homes ($617K more) · larger · older residents
Garfield, NJ 07026 71%185$79,700$475,500$381 cheaper homes ($182K less) · newer homes
Bronx, NY 10470 71%173$90,046$497,700$399 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11218 71%189$97,366$935,900$846 pricier homes ($279K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Long Beach, CA 90802 71%2,596$74,510$542,600$555 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more renters · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11205 70%186$93,887$917,400$1,061 pricier homes ($260K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20010 70%389$114,126$886,600$471 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($230K more)

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.