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 11216

Brooklyn: median income $101,277, home value $1,293,700, $938/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94109 68%2,569$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 13 min shorter commute · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90026 62%2,449$87,334$1,199,500$831 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Somerville, MA 02145 61%189$123,755$828,600$598 cheaper homes ($465K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02128 58%191$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($626K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90027 58%2,450$94,521$1,776,400$869 pricier homes ($483K more) · 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02118 56%188$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($236K less) · smaller · 15 min shorter commute
Weehawken, NJ 07086 56%7$127,763$889,000$672 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($405K less) · smaller
Los Angeles, CA 90036 56%2,454$109,785$1,881,900$830 pricier homes ($588K more) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
Brighton, MA 02135 55%185$90,829$681,200$631 cheaper homes ($613K less) · 10 min shorter commute · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 54%7$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($711K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Los Angeles, CA 90046 53%2,453$96,250$1,515,000$841 pricier homes ($221K more) · older residents · 13 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90019 52%2,454$73,934$1,273,700$619 lower income ($27K less) · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94133 52%2,568$87,191$1,558,000$1,196 pricier homes ($264K more) · smaller · older residents
Somerville, MA 02143 51%188$130,753$926,800$769 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($367K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20010 51%203$114,126$886,600$471 cheaper homes ($407K less) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02125 50%186$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($637K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 50%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02144 50%188$150,313$988,800$713 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($305K less) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94609 50%2,560$107,834$1,207,700$653 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94121 49%2,573$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($318K more) · older residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 48%185$131,551$822,300$642 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($471K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20002 48%203$120,337$826,400$494 cheaper homes ($467K less) · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94115 48%2,570$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 higher income ($50K more) · pricier homes ($385K more) · smaller
Allston, MA 02134 47%186$78,679$657,300$616 cheaper homes ($636K less) · smaller · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90004 47%2,451$64,826$1,552,100$741 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($258K more) · 11 min shorter commute

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.