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 20020

Washington: median income $54,032, home value $456,000, $244/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
East Orange, NJ 07017 91%197$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Newark, NJ 07104 91%199$53,978$388,800$219 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Irvington, NJ 07111 89%194$61,609$335,600$287 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Yonkers, NY 10701 89%219$64,776$370,400$306 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Orange, NJ 07050 88%196$52,563$364,500$306 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07106 87%195$53,440$355,400$243 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Newark, NJ 07112 87%195$58,200$336,500$193 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
East Orange, NJ 07018 86%196$62,564$353,800$271 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · older residents
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 86%218$60,701$494,300$300 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents
Newark, NJ 07107 84%198$51,242$379,500$262 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Far Rockaway, NY 11691 83%209$56,135$677,000$363 pricier homes ($221K more) · 5 min longer commute
Bridgeport, CT 06605 82%255$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Bronx, NY 10473 82%214$52,462$576,100$397 pricier homes ($120K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Yonkers, NY 10705 82%216$67,918$505,400$267 pricier homes ($49K more) · older residents
Newark, NJ 07105 80%198$59,847$471,600$273 more renters
Dorchester, MA 02121 78%390$43,136$590,200$269 pricier homes ($134K more) · smaller · older homes
Bridgeport, CT 06604 78%256$50,026$267,100$210 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 78%192$65,511$459,200$321 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07305 78%199$76,527$450,800$353 Very close on everything we compare
Chicago, IL 60612 76%601$60,922$364,600$292 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Bronx, NY 10466 75%217$65,969$616,800$382 pricier homes ($161K more) · older residents · older homes
Miami, FL 33181 75%915$63,275$352,500$295 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60653 75%596$40,666$361,000$197 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Woonsocket, RI 02895 74%359$61,059$311,000$228 cheaper homes ($145K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07304 74%200$70,986$537,200$429 pricier homes ($81K more)

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.