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 New York, NY 10031

New York: median income $65,283, home value $609,700, $623/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07304 79%10$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($73K less) · newer homes
Boston, MA 02128 77%185$90,106$668,000$646 pricier homes ($58K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Jersey City, NJ 07306 74%9$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($94K less) · newer homes
Union City, NJ 07087 73%6$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($138K less) · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 73%7$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 72%180$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Chelsea, MA 02150 72%186$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller
Los Angeles, CA 90029 71%2,450$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($515K more) · smaller · newer homes
San Francisco, CA 94102 69%2,567$60,431$935,900$963 pricier homes ($326K more) · smaller · older residents
Oakland, CA 94606 69%2,557$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($193K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91205 68%2,445$64,564$800,800$615 pricier homes ($191K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90006 67%2,451$51,998$902,900$537 pricier homes ($293K more) · newer homes
Long Beach, CA 90802 67%2,453$74,510$542,600$555 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
West New York, NJ 07093 65%4$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($178K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 64%180$81,923$650,700$418 pricier homes ($41K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90005 64%2,451$49,419$975,200$551 pricier homes ($366K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90019 64%2,453$73,934$1,273,700$619 pricier homes ($664K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90020 63%2,451$61,184$847,700$599 pricier homes ($238K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Bayonne, NJ 07002 61%14$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($150K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90038 61%2,451$61,454$1,177,100$664 pricier homes ($567K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60640 60%714$73,254$370,300$353 cheaper homes ($239K less) · more homeowners
Dorchester, MA 02122 59%180$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Everett, MA 02149 59%186$85,218$610,000$375 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90057 58%2,449$44,823$647,700$683 pricier homes ($38K more) · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90008 57%2,454$61,846$1,040,600$628 pricier homes ($431K more) · smaller · 5 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.