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 02142

Cambridge: median income $147,723, home value $1,954,500, $1,396/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10018 75%187$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 cheaper homes ($910K less) · larger
Palo Alto, CA 94304 75%2,689$154,141$2M+*— pricier homes ($46K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90401 67%2,603$110,385$1,149,200$1,151 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($805K less) · larger
New York, NY 10282 65%189$250,000+*$2M+*$1,209 higher income ($102K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · older residents
Playa Vista, CA 90094 61%2,602$145,744$1,356,000$885 cheaper homes ($599K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10069 58%186$233,636$2M+*$1,385 higher income ($86K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94158 57%2,690$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($525K less) · larger
New York, NY 10007 56%189$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($102K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94105 55%2,690$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($77K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95113 54%2,677$151,685$956,500$714 cheaper homes ($998K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98109 50%2,485$133,663$1,034,100$649 cheaper homes ($920K less) · larger · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98101 48%2,484$128,882$784,200$657 cheaper homes ($1170K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33122 47%1,258$99,583$2M+*— lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94041 47%2,685$178,558$2M+*$1,250 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94107 46%2,691$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($732K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98121 45%2,485$152,019$848,400$575 cheaper homes ($1106K less) · larger · more homeowners
Long Island City, NY 11101 44%185$121,062$971,300$1,596 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($983K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07310 43%190$183,464$844,400$695 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($1110K less) · larger
New York, NY 10280 43%190$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($59K more) · cheaper homes ($978K less) · larger
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 42%2,603$146,167$1,272,200$834 cheaper homes ($682K less) · larger · older residents
Arlington, VA 22209 41%395$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($1135K less) · larger
Santa Clara, CA 95054 41%2,679$207,895$1,493,100$922 higher income ($60K more) · cheaper homes ($461K less) · larger
Nashville, TN 37219 40%941$105,476$640,700$719 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($1314K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98004 40%2,479$182,545$2M+*$915 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11249 39%190$123,047$1,478,400$1,804 cheaper homes ($476K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or 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.