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 20019

Washington: median income $58,296, home value $456,800, $252/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
East Orange, NJ 07017 93%195$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Newark, NJ 07106 89%192$53,440$355,400$243 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller
Irvington, NJ 07111 89%192$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($121K less) · more renters
Newark, NJ 07104 88%196$53,978$388,800$219 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more renters
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 87%215$60,701$494,300$300 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · older residents
Yonkers, NY 10705 87%214$67,918$505,400$267 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · older residents
East Orange, NJ 07018 86%193$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller · more renters
Yonkers, NY 10701 86%216$64,776$370,400$306 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06605 85%252$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07112 85%192$58,200$336,500$193 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · more renters
Jersey City, NJ 07305 85%196$76,527$450,800$353 Very close on everything we compare
Orange, NJ 07050 84%193$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · more renters
Woonsocket, RI 02895 83%356$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Mattapan, MA 02126 82%385$65,709$542,700$400 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller
Newark, NJ 07107 82%195$51,242$379,500$262 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more renters
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 82%190$65,511$459,200$321 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Bronx, NY 10466 81%214$65,969$616,800$382 pricier homes ($160K more) · 7 min longer commute
Philadelphia, PA 19111 81%128$61,138$253,700$218 cheaper homes ($203K less) · more homeowners
Bridgeport, CT 06604 80%253$50,026$267,100$210 cheaper homes ($190K less) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60659 79%606$68,704$371,800$230 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01854 78%391$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Lynn, MA 01902 78%400$67,046$478,000$348 older homes
Brockton, MA 02301 78%380$74,214$449,400$321 more single-family homes
Hollywood, FL 33020 78%909$56,473$353,300$324 cheaper homes ($104K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19152 77%129$59,408$293,700$244 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller · older residents

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.