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 07310

Jersey City: median income $183,464, home value $844,400, $695/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Long Island City, NY 11109 77%5$204,885$525,300— cheaper homes ($319K less) · smaller · older residents
New York, NY 10018 64%3$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($200K more) · smaller
Playa Vista, CA 90094 62%2,455$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($512K more) · older residents
Arlington, VA 22201 60%206$145,000$781,600$625 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20003 58%202$159,846$957,700$625 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22203 58%208$140,135$826,800$511 lower income ($43K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22202 57%206$133,762$899,000$453 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94107 57%2,563$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 pricier homes ($378K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95113 54%2,547$151,685$956,500$714 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22209 53%205$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($63K less) · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 53%2,457$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($428K more) · older residents
Chicago, IL 60601 52%708$121,458$526,200$494 lower income ($62K less) · cheaper homes ($318K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02141 51%190$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($57K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20001 51%202$138,059$852,600$552 lower income ($45K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94158 51%2,562$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 pricier homes ($585K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98101 51%2,399$128,882$784,200$657 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($60K less) · 16 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98109 51%2,400$133,663$1,034,100$649 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($190K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98121 51%2,400$152,019$848,400$575 lower income ($31K less) · 17 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02210 49%191$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 pricier homes ($347K more) · smaller · older residents
Long Island City, NY 11101 49%6$121,062$971,300$1,596 lower income ($62K less) · pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Chicago, IL 60642 49%710$143,175$593,600$385 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($251K less) · 10 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10280 47%2$206,299$976,300$1,104 pricier homes ($132K more) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98107 46%2,401$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($109K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94105 45%2,562$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($554K more) · 14 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60654 44%709$147,357$500,400$404 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($344K less) · larger

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.