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 11217

Brooklyn: median income $162,863, home value $1,636,500, $1,385/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94117 94%2,569$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 cheaper homes ($35K less)
San Francisco, CA 94118 92%2,570$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($148K more)
San Francisco, CA 94115 91%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($43K more) · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94123 79%2,568$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($56K more) · pricier homes ($364K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94110 77%2,568$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 cheaper homes ($186K less) · larger · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02116 75%189$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 73%189$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($487K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94114 73%2,569$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($101K more) · older residents
Somerville, MA 02144 71%190$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94121 71%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($25K less) · older residents
Brookline, MA 02446 70%187$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($455K less) · 7 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94109 69%2,567$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($336K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02139 68%189$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($549K less) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02143 68%190$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($710K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94122 67%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 cheaper homes ($119K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02127 66%190$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($773K less) · more homeowners
Charlestown, MA 02129 66%191$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($725K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90036 63%2,452$109,785$1,881,900$830 lower income ($53K less) · pricier homes ($245K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Santa Monica, CA 90403 58%2,461$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02118 57%189$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($578K less) · smaller
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 57%186$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($814K less) · more homeowners
Oakland, CA 94610 57%2,558$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($257K less) · more single-family homes
Washington, DC 20009 56%203$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($914K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02138 55%188$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($424K less) · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02445 55%186$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($410K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute

* 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.