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 Washington, DC 20007

Washington: median income $140,996, home value $1,292,400, $727/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookline, MA 02445 92%390$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Brookline, MA 02446 82%392$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($111K less) · more renters
Charlestown, MA 02129 77%396$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($380K less)
Arlington, MA 02474 77%393$150,560$933,200$598 cheaper homes ($359K less) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Newton, MA 02458 76%389$153,520$1,136,100$544 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 75%391$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($470K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02138 75%393$119,967$1,212,400$919 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 75%393$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($143K less) · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Alexandria, VA 22301 75%7$194,819$1,027,900$616 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($265K less) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94610 74%2,423$134,507$1,379,700$642 pricier homes ($87K more) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Boston, MA 02127 72%395$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($429K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10022 72%208$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($184K less) · older residents
Somerville, MA 02144 71%394$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Watertown, MA 02472 71%390$126,336$784,600$507 cheaper homes ($508K less)
New York, NY 10021 70%209$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10075 70%205$155,902$991,900$1,342 cheaper homes ($301K less) · 6 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80209 69%1,486$125,733$1,018,300$513 cheaper homes ($274K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Cambridge, MA 02139 68%393$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($205K less) · larger · younger residents
Newtonville, MA 02460 68%388$177,837$1,224,600$588 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Auburndale, MA 02466 68%386$170,089$1,174,000$561 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10065 68%209$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 pricier homes ($127K more) · more renters
Berkeley, CA 94703 68%2,424$109,881$1,359,000$913 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($67K more) · more renters
Somerville, MA 02143 67%394$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($366K less) · younger residents · more renters
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 67%2,305$134,313$997,600$700 cheaper homes ($295K less) · smaller · newer homes
Albany, CA 94706 67%2,424$143,398$1,203,500$836 cheaper homes ($89K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes

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.