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 11215

Brooklyn: median income $185,865, home value $1,622,300, $1,440/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94118 83%2,570$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($162K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94114 81%2,569$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 pricier homes ($115K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94117 80%2,569$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94123 73%2,568$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($378K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94115 70%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94110 66%2,568$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($172K less) · 8 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94121 63%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($53K less) · smaller · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94122 63%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($105K less) · older residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 61%190$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($473K less) · smaller
Charlestown, MA 02129 60%192$157,247$912,000$948 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($710K less) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02144 60%190$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($634K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02127 59%191$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($759K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 58%188$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($441K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94131 56%2,569$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02116 55%190$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02445 54%187$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($395K less) · smaller
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 51%187$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($800K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02139 51%190$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($535K less) · smaller
Hoboken, NJ 07030 51%6$180,579$895,100$974 cheaper homes ($727K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Somerville, MA 02143 50%190$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($696K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20007 49%204$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($330K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20009 49%202$146,664$722,500$636 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($900K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94610 49%2,558$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($243K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02138 44%189$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($410K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20008 43%202$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($657K less) · 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.