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 Charleston, SC 29401

Charleston: median income $99,667, home value $1,164,800, $1,028/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Berkeley, CA 94702 69%2,393$99,775$1,202,100$1,046 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Newport, RI 02840 66%765$86,250$746,900$643 cheaper homes ($418K less) · larger
Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464 60%813$105,729$940,200$539 cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller · 13 min longer commute
Pacific Grove, CA 93950 60%2,381$106,065$1,190,400$1,058 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · older residents
Berkeley, CA 94703 59%2,392$109,881$1,359,000$913 pricier homes ($194K more) · larger · younger residents
Beverly Hills, CA 90211 57%2,206$122,694$2M+*$891 pricier homes ($835K more) · 9 min longer commute · more renters
Princeton, NJ 08542 56%599$105,524$754,100$676 cheaper homes ($411K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94132 56%2,404$112,292$1,470,700$843 pricier homes ($306K more) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Newton, MA 02458 55%816$153,520$1,136,100$544 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · 13 min longer commute
Richmond, VA 23221 55%358$99,816$582,000$405 cheaper homes ($583K less) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90064 55%2,209$135,383$1,765,300$997 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($601K more) · larger
Washington, DC 20007 54%453$140,996$1,292,400$727 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($128K more) · larger
San Diego, CA 92107 54%2,156$113,117$1,379,900$964 pricier homes ($215K more) · larger · younger residents
Culver City, CA 90230 53%2,207$107,109$1,019,900$710 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90039 52%2,198$113,818$1,264,500$1,010 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger · 14 min longer commute
Pasadena, CA 91105 52%2,193$156,791$1,671,000$841 higher income ($57K more) · pricier homes ($506K more) · 9 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98112 52%2,422$171,572$1,549,100$681 higher income ($72K more) · pricier homes ($384K more) · larger
Brookline, MA 02445 51%816$139,747$1,227,000$776 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($62K more) · larger
Newtonville, MA 02460 51%815$177,837$1,224,600$588 higher income ($78K more) · pricier homes ($60K more) · 11 min longer commute
Miami Beach, FL 33140 51%481$107,063$866,900$623 cheaper homes ($298K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
West Hollywood, CA 90069 51%2,205$107,987$1,074,900$814 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
South Pasadena, CA 91030 51%2,192$127,175$1,640,000$947 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($475K more) · larger
Albany, CA 94706 51%2,393$143,398$1,203,500$836 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Sacramento, CA 95818 51%2,346$118,196$790,200$512 cheaper homes ($375K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78756 50%1,061$94,701$832,000$500 cheaper homes ($333K less) · younger residents · more renters

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or 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.