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 11230

Brooklyn: median income $70,027, home value $874,500, $458/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jersey City, NJ 07304 81%9$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($337K less) · smaller · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 80%10$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($292K less) · smaller
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 79%189$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($224K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02128 75%194$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07306 75%9$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($359K less) · smaller · newer homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 74%189$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($217K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90019 74%2,453$73,934$1,273,700$619 pricier homes ($399K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02122 71%189$86,150$669,900$471 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Everett, MA 02149 70%195$85,218$610,000$375 cheaper homes ($265K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Bayonne, NJ 07002 70%9$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($414K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94606 70%2,560$72,470$802,700$494 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Malden, MA 02148 69%195$100,606$633,500$451 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($241K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90016 68%2,454$73,516$968,900$687 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07305 66%9$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($424K less) · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90008 66%2,454$61,846$1,040,600$628 pricier homes ($166K more) · smaller · older residents
Chelsea, MA 02150 65%195$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($381K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90018 65%2,453$62,864$923,300$568 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Los Angeles, CA 90029 65%2,450$60,440$1,124,400$750 pricier homes ($250K more) · smaller · more renters
Mattapan, MA 02126 64%187$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($332K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60625 63%718$85,703$401,900$333 cheaper homes ($473K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Los Angeles, CA 90026 63%2,449$87,334$1,199,500$831 pricier homes ($325K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
North Bergen, NJ 07047 62%12$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($401K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Union City, NJ 07087 62%11$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($403K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
West New York, NJ 07093 62%12$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($443K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60640 62%716$73,254$370,300$353 cheaper homes ($504K less)

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.