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 Los Angeles, CA 90024

Los Angeles: median income $76,583, home value $1,478,500, $695/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98105 86%961$74,349$1,312,100$578 cheaper homes ($166K less) · more single-family homes
Boulder, CO 80302 72%833$61,698$1,190,800$604 cheaper homes ($288K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Boulder, CO 80303 67%834$78,555$961,900$467 cheaper homes ($517K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98122 65%957$106,886$957,100$551 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($521K less) · older residents
Nashville, TN 37212 62%1,786$95,145$963,800$422 cheaper homes ($515K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Austin, TX 78751 60%1,237$80,915$852,000$470 cheaper homes ($627K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98102 60%959$114,925$963,200$617 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($515K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10038 58%2,456$105,419$921,900$1,006 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78704 58%1,236$106,897$916,100$507 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($562K less) · older residents
Charleston, SC 29403 57%2,208$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($805K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98119 57%960$123,551$1,047,600$594 higher income ($47K more) · cheaper homes ($431K less) · smaller
Tampa, FL 33606 55%2,161$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($633K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98007 55%956$131,109$1,018,100$543 higher income ($55K more) · cheaper homes ($460K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02111 54%2,600$87,404$1,033,500$1,037 cheaper homes ($445K less) · smaller · older residents
Brighton, MA 02135 53%2,596$90,829$681,200$631 cheaper homes ($797K less) · older residents · 11 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02215 53%2,598$72,095$750,000$1,104 cheaper homes ($729K less) · smaller · more renters
Dallas, TX 75206 53%1,250$91,023$615,400$363 cheaper homes ($863K less) · older residents · newer homes
Cambridge, MA 02141 51%2,599$126,522$868,100$842 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($610K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80206 51%841$101,594$915,400$427 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($563K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80246 51%841$67,235$716,400$405 cheaper homes ($762K less) · smaller · older residents
Washington, DC 20037 50%2,304$111,153$685,300$639 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($793K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22209 50%2,302$120,515$820,000$602 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($659K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80218 50%840$81,706$676,700$398 cheaper homes ($802K less) · smaller · older residents
Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120 48%2,599$64,289$885,900$485 cheaper homes ($593K less) · smaller · more renters
Alexandria, VA 22305 48%2,303$113,537$864,500$521 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($614K less) · smaller

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.