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 Hoboken, NJ 07030

Hoboken: median income $180,579, home value $895,100, $974/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooklyn, NY 11201 80%4$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 pricier homes ($216K more) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 75%2,457$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($377K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94107 73%2,563$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 pricier homes ($327K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10016 71%3$140,381$905,000$1,232 lower income ($40K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22314 71%209$148,451$899,000$624 lower income ($32K less) · smaller · older residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 70%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($255K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20001 70%203$138,059$852,600$552 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($43K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22201 70%207$145,000$781,600$625 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60614 69%710$136,448$720,400$506 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($175K less) · 6 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10075 67%3$155,902$991,900$1,342 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller · older residents
Boston, MA 02127 65%190$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02141 65%189$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10128 63%5$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($547K more) · older residents
Washington, DC 20003 63%203$159,846$957,700$625 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10019 62%3$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($166K more) · older residents
New York, NY 10280 62%3$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22203 62%208$140,135$826,800$511 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10028 60%5$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 pricier homes ($708K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10065 58%4$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($525K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10010 57%3$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10021 57%4$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 pricier homes ($482K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10023 57%3$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 pricier homes ($463K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98107 57%2,401$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02144 56%189$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22202 56%207$133,762$899,000$453 lower income ($47K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute

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.