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 11231

Brooklyn: median income $139,930, home value $1,611,200, $1,376/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94118 89%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($174K more)
San Francisco, CA 94115 87%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94117 85%2,568$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 higher income ($27K more)
San Francisco, CA 94121 80%2,570$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94110 78%2,567$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 cheaper homes ($161K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94109 76%2,566$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($311K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02116 73%190$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 73%190$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($461K less) · smaller · newer homes
San Francisco, CA 94122 73%2,570$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 cheaper homes ($94K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Somerville, MA 02144 68%191$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($622K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 67%188$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($430K less) · 8 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94114 67%2,568$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($64K more) · pricier homes ($126K more) · more homeowners
Somerville, MA 02143 66%191$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($684K less) · smaller · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90036 66%2,451$109,785$1,881,900$830 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($271K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02118 65%190$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($553K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Charlestown, MA 02129 65%192$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($699K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02127 63%191$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($748K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02139 63%190$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($524K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94123 63%2,567$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($79K more) · pricier homes ($389K more) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94610 62%2,557$134,507$1,379,700$642 cheaper homes ($232K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Santa Monica, CA 90403 61%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · older residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 60%187$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($789K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90405 60%2,459$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 pricier homes ($319K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Somerville, MA 02145 58%191$123,755$828,600$598 cheaper homes ($783K less) · younger residents
Weehawken, NJ 07086 58%6$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($722K less) · smaller · newer homes

* 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.