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 11204

Brooklyn: median income $69,479, home value $1,098,600, $685/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 73%190$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($448K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02128 73%195$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($431K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90019 72%2,452$73,934$1,273,700$619 pricier homes ($175K more) · older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90016 71%2,453$73,516$968,900$687 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90018 69%2,451$62,864$923,300$568 cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02125 67%190$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($442K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Everett, MA 02149 66%196$85,218$610,000$375 cheaper homes ($489K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 66%10$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($516K less) · smaller · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90008 66%2,453$61,846$1,040,600$628 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90029 66%2,449$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · more renters
Dorchester, MA 02122 65%190$86,150$669,900$471 cheaper homes ($429K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Chelsea, MA 02150 61%196$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($605K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07304 61%8$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($561K less) · smaller · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90004 61%2,450$64,826$1,552,100$741 pricier homes ($454K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Mattapan, MA 02126 60%188$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($556K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90006 59%2,450$51,998$902,900$537 cheaper homes ($196K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Los Angeles, CA 90026 59%2,447$87,334$1,199,500$831 pricier homes ($101K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Oakland, CA 94606 59%2,559$72,470$802,700$494 cheaper homes ($296K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Malden, MA 02148 56%196$100,606$633,500$451 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($465K less) · 6 min shorter commute
North Hollywood, CA 91606 56%2,451$66,200$832,900$614 cheaper homes ($266K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Van Nuys, CA 91401 55%2,453$79,552$1,047,700$680 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91205 54%2,445$64,564$800,800$615 cheaper homes ($298K less) · smaller · older residents
Van Nuys, CA 91405 54%2,454$62,900$737,700$545 cheaper homes ($361K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Union City, NJ 07087 53%11$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($627K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Los Angeles, CA 90037 53%2,451$57,622$666,400$433 cheaper homes ($432K less) · 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.