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 11221

Brooklyn: median income $85,736, home value $1,090,100, $718/sq ft, 44-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02128 66%189$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($422K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 63%8$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($508K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90019 59%2,455$73,934$1,273,700$619 pricier homes ($184K more) · smaller · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90026 59%2,450$87,334$1,199,500$831 pricier homes ($109K more) · 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 58%8$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($553K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90029 58%2,451$60,440$1,124,400$750 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Dorchester, MA 02125 57%185$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($433K less) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07306 56%8$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($574K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 53%185$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($439K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90004 53%2,452$64,826$1,552,100$741 pricier homes ($462K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Somerville, MA 02145 52%188$123,755$828,600$598 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($262K less) · smaller
Malden, MA 02148 51%191$100,606$633,500$451 cheaper homes ($457K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Brighton, MA 02135 50%183$90,829$681,200$631 cheaper homes ($409K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90016 50%2,456$73,516$968,900$687 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94109 50%2,570$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 pricier homes ($210K more) · smaller · older residents
Dorchester, MA 02122 49%185$86,150$669,900$471 cheaper homes ($420K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Oakland, CA 94606 48%2,561$72,470$802,700$494 cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller · older residents
Long Beach, CA 90802 47%2,455$74,510$542,600$555 cheaper homes ($548K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Everett, MA 02149 46%190$85,218$610,000$375 cheaper homes ($480K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90027 46%2,451$94,521$1,776,400$869 pricier homes ($686K more) · smaller · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90038 46%2,453$61,454$1,177,100$664 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60647 45%719$107,060$586,200$403 cheaper homes ($504K less) · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Allston, MA 02134 44%185$78,679$657,300$616 cheaper homes ($433K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90008 44%2,456$61,846$1,040,600$628 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · older residents
Van Nuys, CA 91401 44%2,456$79,552$1,047,700$680 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · 10 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.