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 10034

New York: median income $67,754, home value $519,700, $498/sq ft, 44-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07304 74%13$70,986$537,200$429 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07306 68%12$74,953$516,000$478 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners · newer homes
Chelsea, MA 02150 67%183$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 11 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Union City, NJ 07087 67%9$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 64%11$83,297$582,600$567 pricier homes ($63K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02128 62%182$90,106$668,000$646 pricier homes ($148K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
West New York, NJ 07093 62%7$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90029 59%2,451$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($605K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 57%177$81,923$650,700$418 pricier homes ($131K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Dorchester, MA 02125 57%177$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($137K more) · 14 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60640 57%715$73,254$370,300$353 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Bayonne, NJ 07002 56%17$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90006 56%2,452$51,998$902,900$537 pricier homes ($383K more) · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Long Beach, CA 90802 56%2,454$74,510$542,600$555 12 min shorter commute · newer homes
Everett, MA 02149 55%183$85,218$610,000$375 pricier homes ($90K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60626 55%716$59,713$280,600$251 cheaper homes ($239K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Oakland, CA 94606 55%2,558$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($283K more) · 15 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Mattapan, MA 02126 54%176$65,709$542,700$400 more homeowners · more single-family homes · newer homes
East Orange, NJ 07018 53%17$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($166K less) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Jersey City, NJ 07305 53%14$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91205 53%2,447$64,564$800,800$615 pricier homes ($281K more) · 15 min shorter commute · newer homes
Dorchester, MA 02122 52%177$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($150K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02121 51%177$43,136$590,200$269 pricier homes ($71K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90013 51%2,449$36,948$800,500$537 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($281K more) · smaller
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 50%209$68,846$527,900$298 smaller · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes

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.