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 Jersey City, NJ 07302

Jersey City: median income $175,077, home value $865,100, $888/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94107 81%2,563$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 pricier homes ($357K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 75%2,456$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($407K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20003 74%201$159,846$957,700$625 pricier homes ($93K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Arlington, VA 22201 73%205$145,000$781,600$625 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller
Playa Vista, CA 90094 71%2,455$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($491K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20001 69%201$138,059$852,600$552 lower income ($37K less) · 10 min shorter commute · older homes
Arlington, VA 22203 68%207$140,135$826,800$511 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22314 67%207$148,451$899,000$624 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Long Island City, NY 11101 65%6$121,062$971,300$1,596 lower income ($54K less) · pricier homes ($106K more)
Long Island City, NY 11109 65%5$204,885$525,300— higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($340K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94158 62%2,562$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 pricier homes ($565K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98107 62%2,401$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($88K more) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02141 61%191$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($49K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10018 61%4$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($180K more) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22202 61%205$133,762$899,000$453 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98109 59%2,400$133,663$1,034,100$649 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10280 58%2$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22209 58%204$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10016 57%4$140,381$905,000$1,232 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($40K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60642 56%710$143,175$593,600$385 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($272K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98121 56%2,400$152,019$848,400$575 smaller · 17 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10044 54%6$103,347$1,034,100$967 lower income ($72K less) · pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60601 54%708$121,458$526,200$494 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94105 54%2,562$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($50K more) · pricier homes ($533K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10019 53%4$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 lower income ($47K less) · pricier homes ($196K more) · older residents

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.