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 Astoria, NY 11106

Astoria: median income $84,867, home value $610,400, $652/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07306 87%7$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($94K less) · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 85%6$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more homeowners
Jersey City, NJ 07304 81%8$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Boston, MA 02128 80%187$90,106$668,000$646 pricier homes ($58K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Long Beach, CA 90802 80%2,454$74,510$542,600$555 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 77%182$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($47K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Brighton, MA 02135 77%180$90,829$681,200$631 pricier homes ($71K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Allston, MA 02134 71%182$78,679$657,300$616 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · younger residents
West New York, NJ 07093 68%5$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60640 68%716$73,254$370,300$353 cheaper homes ($240K less) · larger · more homeowners
Oakland, CA 94606 68%2,559$72,470$802,700$494 pricier homes ($192K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90020 67%2,452$61,184$847,700$599 pricier homes ($237K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Glendale, CA 91205 66%2,447$64,564$800,800$615 pricier homes ($190K more) · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Somerville, MA 02145 65%185$123,755$828,600$598 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($218K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Malden, MA 02148 65%188$100,606$633,500$451 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Bayonne, NJ 07002 65%12$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · more homeowners
Union City, NJ 07087 63%5$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger · newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22311 63%215$87,626$760,300$379 pricier homes ($150K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90029 63%2,451$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($514K more)
Oakland, CA 94612 63%2,560$74,037$827,800$439 pricier homes ($217K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02122 62%182$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60647 62%718$107,060$586,200$403 larger · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Los Angeles, CA 90026 62%2,450$87,334$1,199,500$831 pricier homes ($589K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94607 62%2,561$94,863$720,600$426 pricier homes ($110K more) · more homeowners · newer homes
Weehawken, NJ 07086 61%5$127,763$889,000$672 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($279K more) · smaller

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.