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 20009

Washington: median income $146,664, home value $722,500, $636/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 90%389$131,551$822,300$642 pricier homes ($100K more)
Somerville, MA 02143 89%392$130,753$926,800$769 pricier homes ($204K more) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02144 89%392$150,313$988,800$713 pricier homes ($266K more) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 86%390$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($459K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02127 83%393$164,387$863,700$828 pricier homes ($141K more)
Cambridge, MA 02139 82%392$134,586$1,087,500$965 pricier homes ($365K more)
Chicago, IL 60622 82%596$136,277$638,100$414 cheaper homes ($84K less) · newer homes
Charlestown, MA 02129 78%394$157,247$912,000$948 pricier homes ($190K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02140 75%391$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($427K more) · smaller · newer homes
Watertown, MA 02472 74%389$126,336$784,600$507 pricier homes ($62K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Brookline, MA 02445 73%389$139,747$1,227,000$776 pricier homes ($505K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02138 72%391$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($490K more) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02145 72%393$123,755$828,600$598 pricier homes ($106K more) · smaller
Philadelphia, PA 19103 69%122$99,644$582,500$477 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($140K less) · smaller
Philadelphia, PA 19130 69%123$112,037$491,800$347 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($231K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22206 69%6$140,877$586,000$431 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60614 68%595$136,448$720,400$506 newer homes
Chicago, IL 60657 68%596$110,939$537,800$428 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11201 67%203$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($388K more) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60647 65%598$107,060$586,200$403 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger
Philadelphia, PA 19147 64%123$105,755$530,900$366 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($192K less) · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94117 64%2,436$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($879K more)
Brooklyn, NY 11238 63%203$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 pricier homes ($377K more) · 10 min longer commute
New York, NY 10016 62%205$140,381$905,000$1,232 pricier homes ($183K more) · newer homes
Brighton, MA 02135 61%389$90,829$681,200$631 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less) · 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.