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 10040

New York: median income $65,516, home value $464,400, $571/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07304 75%12$70,986$537,200$429 pricier homes ($73K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Union City, NJ 07087 71%8$64,310$471,600$453 larger · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07306 70%11$74,953$516,000$478 pricier homes ($52K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Chelsea, MA 02150 69%184$72,179$493,500$400 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 69%10$83,297$582,600$567 pricier homes ($118K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02128 67%183$90,106$668,000$646 pricier homes ($204K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
West New York, NJ 07093 66%6$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · newer homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 62%178$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($193K more) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Bayonne, NJ 07002 62%17$83,887$460,100$354 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Long Beach, CA 90802 62%2,454$74,510$542,600$555 pricier homes ($78K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60640 61%715$73,254$370,300$353 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · more homeowners
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 60%178$81,923$650,700$418 pricier homes ($186K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Glendale, CA 91205 60%2,446$64,564$800,800$615 pricier homes ($336K more) · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90029 59%2,451$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($660K more) · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94606 59%2,558$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($338K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60626 58%715$59,713$280,600$251 cheaper homes ($184K less) · younger residents
Dorchester, MA 02122 57%178$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($206K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Mattapan, MA 02126 57%176$65,709$542,700$400 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07018 57%17$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($111K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Jersey City, NJ 07305 57%14$76,527$450,800$353 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94102 57%2,567$60,431$935,900$963 pricier homes ($472K more) · 12 min shorter commute
Everett, MA 02149 56%183$85,218$610,000$375 pricier homes ($146K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
North Bergen, NJ 07047 56%7$78,911$473,500$425 larger · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Los Angeles, CA 90006 56%2,452$51,998$902,900$537 pricier homes ($439K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Miami Beach, FL 33141 54%1,097$68,738$435,000$405 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners

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.