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 20008

Washington: median income $125,212, home value $965,100, $596/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookline, MA 02446 83%390$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($216K more) · older homes
Cambridge, MA 02140 82%392$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($185K more) · younger residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 80%389$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Somerville, MA 02143 78%393$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents · older homes
Oakland, CA 94610 78%2,423$134,507$1,379,700$642 pricier homes ($415K more) · more single-family homes
Somerville, MA 02144 76%392$150,313$988,800$713 higher income ($25K more) · younger residents · older homes
Brookline, MA 02445 76%389$139,747$1,227,000$776 pricier homes ($262K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Watertown, MA 02472 75%389$126,336$784,600$507 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Philadelphia, PA 19103 74%123$99,644$582,500$477 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($383K less)
Chicago, IL 60614 74%593$136,448$720,400$506 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · younger residents
Chicago, IL 60622 74%594$136,277$638,100$414 cheaper homes ($327K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98102 74%2,319$114,925$963,200$617 younger residents · newer homes
West Hollywood, CA 90069 73%2,299$107,987$1,074,900$814 pricier homes ($110K more) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98119 73%2,321$123,551$1,047,600$594 pricier homes ($83K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22206 72%7$140,877$586,000$431 cheaper homes ($379K less)
Weehawken, NJ 07086 71%205$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
New York, NY 10017 71%206$136,705$756,600$1,269 cheaper homes ($209K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80206 71%1,486$101,594$915,400$427 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Cambridge, MA 02138 70%391$119,967$1,212,400$919 pricier homes ($247K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02139 70%392$134,586$1,087,500$965 pricier homes ($122K more) · younger residents · older homes
New York, NY 10075 70%203$155,902$991,900$1,342 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($27K more)
Chicago, IL 60657 70%594$110,939$537,800$428 cheaper homes ($427K less) · larger · younger residents
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 70%2,305$134,313$997,600$700 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · newer homes
Boston, MA 02127 68%393$164,387$863,700$828 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($101K less) · younger residents
Silver Spring, MD 20910 68%5$112,134$730,900$364 cheaper homes ($234K less) · larger · newer 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.