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 Cambridge, MA 02139

Cambridge: median income $134,586, home value $1,087,500, $965/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10003 82%187$154,262$1,123,200$1,776 pricier homes ($36K more)
Washington, DC 20009 82%392$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($365K less)
San Francisco, CA 94117 80%2,692$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($514K more) · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94115 75%2,691$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($592K more) · older residents
Berkeley, CA 94709 73%2,680$89,054$1,375,000$877 lower income ($46K less) · pricier homes ($288K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10010 72%186$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($51K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11201 71%189$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 higher income ($39K more) · larger · older residents
Washington, DC 20002 70%390$120,337$826,400$494 cheaper homes ($261K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20008 70%392$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($122K less) · older residents · newer homes
New York, NY 10005 69%189$190,233$1,390,600$1,144 higher income ($56K more) · pricier homes ($303K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20010 69%391$114,126$886,600$471 cheaper homes ($201K less)
New York, NY 10016 68%186$140,381$905,000$1,232 cheaper homes ($183K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11217 68%189$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($549K more) · older residents
Washington, DC 20007 68%393$140,996$1,292,400$727 pricier homes ($205K more) · smaller · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94118 68%2,692$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($697K more) · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94109 67%2,690$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($213K more) · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94110 67%2,691$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($363K more) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10011 66%187$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 pricier homes ($94K more) · older residents · less walkable
New York, NY 10025 66%183$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 lower income ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11238 66%188$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 older residents · 14 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90036 66%2,593$109,785$1,881,900$830 pricier homes ($794K more) · older residents · more renters
Oakland, CA 94609 66%2,681$107,834$1,207,700$653 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller
Berkeley, CA 94703 66%2,681$109,881$1,359,000$913 pricier homes ($272K more) · smaller · older residents
New York, NY 10012 65%188$137,106$1,602,800$2,291 pricier homes ($515K more) · smaller · older residents
New York, NY 10038 65%188$105,419$921,900$1,006 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller

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.