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 11236

Brooklyn: median income $81,464, home value $743,100, $452/sq ft, 50-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mattapan, MA 02126 66%184$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($200K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07305 63%11$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($292K less) · younger residents · 13 min shorter commute
Revere, MA 02151 61%194$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 16 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 60%186$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010 58%13$93,452$588,200$440 cheaper homes ($155K less) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
North Bergen, NJ 07047 58%12$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($270K less) · 17 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 55%11$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bayonne, NJ 07002 54%11$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($283K less) · 16 min shorter commute · more renters
Everett, MA 02149 53%192$85,218$610,000$375 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller · younger residents
Malden, MA 02148 52%192$100,606$633,500$451 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents · 15 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07304 52%11$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller · younger residents
Dorchester, MA 02122 51%186$86,150$669,900$471 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 17 min shorter commute
Kearny, NJ 07032 51%15$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($284K less) · smaller · 17 min shorter commute
Hyde Park, MA 02136 50%182$96,737$578,400$426 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · 16 min shorter commute
Quincy, MA 02169 49%187$96,290$581,600$460 cheaper homes ($162K less) · 14 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
West New York, NJ 07093 49%12$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($312K less) · 15 min shorter commute · more renters
Silver Spring, MD 20903 49%199$80,768$485,700$258 cheaper homes ($257K less) · smaller · younger residents
Washington, DC 20019 48%201$58,296$456,800$252 cheaper homes ($286K less) · younger residents · 14 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20018 46%202$90,639$697,000$315 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · 16 min shorter commute
Lynn, MA 01905 45%197$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jersey City, NJ 07306 45%11$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($227K less) · smaller · younger residents
Van Nuys, CA 91406 45%2,460$78,429$808,900$571 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · 17 min shorter commute
Miami Beach, FL 33141 44%1,083$68,738$435,000$405 cheaper homes ($308K less) · smaller · 17 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60641 44%724$83,758$391,100$284 cheaper homes ($352K less) · younger residents · 13 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20020 43%204$54,032$456,000$244 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller

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.