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 Brooklyn, NY 11201

Brooklyn: median income $173,136, home value $1,110,700, $1,355/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 83%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($568K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94117 83%2,568$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($490K more) · smaller · older homes
Cambridge, MA 02140 81%189$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Hoboken, NJ 07030 80%4$180,579$895,100$974 cheaper homes ($216K less) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Boston, MA 02127 79%190$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($247K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94118 76%2,569$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($674K more) · smaller · older homes
Brookline, MA 02446 72%187$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Charlestown, MA 02129 71%191$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02139 71%189$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($39K less) · smaller · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 71%189$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94110 69%2,567$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($340K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94114 69%2,568$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($627K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94123 68%2,567$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($889K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02116 67%189$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($47K less) · pricier homes ($452K more) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02143 67%190$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($184K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20009 67%203$146,664$722,500$636 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · older homes
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 63%2,460$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($162K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02114 62%190$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($186K less) · smaller
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 62%186$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($288K less) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90403 62%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($438K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20008 61%203$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94040 61%2,559$187,781$2M+*$1,570 pricier homes ($889K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94122 61%2,570$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($407K more) · older residents
Cambridge, MA 02138 60%188$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($53K less) · pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02445 60%186$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.