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 90036

Los Angeles: median income $109,785, home value $1,881,900, $830/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02118 72%2,595$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($824K less) · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11222 70%2,453$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 cheaper homes ($506K less) · 9 min longer commute · older homes
Cambridge, MA 02140 69%2,592$135,286$1,149,800$931 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($732K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11211 69%2,453$107,506$1,140,700$1,449 cheaper homes ($741K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02116 68%2,595$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($319K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Somerville, MA 02143 67%2,593$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($955K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02139 66%2,593$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($794K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11231 66%2,451$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($271K less) · 8 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98102 65%959$114,925$963,200$617 cheaper homes ($919K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Brookline, MA 02446 64%2,593$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($700K less) · more homeowners · older homes
New York, NY 10019 64%2,451$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 cheaper homes ($821K less) · less walkable · newer homes
New York, NY 10025 64%2,452$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 cheaper homes ($775K less) · larger · more homeowners
New York, NY 10038 64%2,451$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($960K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11217 63%2,452$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($245K less) · 6 min longer commute
New York, NY 10026 62%2,453$81,244$1,052,300$901 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($830K less) · 8 min longer commute
New York, NY 10128 62%2,453$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($440K less) · older residents
Astoria, NY 11105 62%2,455$102,012$1,081,200$725 cheaper homes ($801K less) · 11 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98119 59%960$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($834K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Somerville, MA 02144 58%2,592$150,313$988,800$713 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($893K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11238 58%2,453$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 cheaper homes ($782K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Weehawken, NJ 07086 57%2,450$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($993K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
New York, NY 10009 57%2,452$92,876$712,700$1,358 cheaper homes ($1169K less) · larger
New York, NY 10016 57%2,452$140,381$905,000$1,232 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($977K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11225 57%2,454$88,568$1,217,400$885 cheaper homes ($665K less) · 11 min longer commute · less walkable
Washington, DC 20008 57%2,298$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($917K less) · more homeowners

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.