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 90048

Los Angeles: median income $103,495, home value $1,932,000, $952/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02118 73%2,596$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($874K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Seattle, WA 98119 71%960$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($884K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98102 70%959$114,925$963,200$617 cheaper homes ($969K less) · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 69%2,593$135,286$1,149,800$931 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10038 69%2,452$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($1010K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02116 67%2,596$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($370K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
New York, NY 10019 61%2,453$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($871K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22305 61%2,299$113,537$864,500$521 cheaper homes ($1068K less) · less walkable
Boston, MA 02111 60%2,597$87,404$1,033,500$1,037 cheaper homes ($899K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 60%2,594$131,963$1,181,500$843 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($751K less) · older homes
Miami, FL 33133 60%2,342$103,420$1,022,400$923 cheaper homes ($910K less) · larger · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02139 58%2,594$134,586$1,087,500$965 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($845K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02141 58%2,595$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($1064K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Somerville, MA 02143 58%2,594$130,753$926,800$769 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($1005K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10128 58%2,454$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($490K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11211 58%2,454$107,506$1,140,700$1,449 cheaper homes ($791K less) · larger · younger residents
Portland, OR 97210 58%824$93,621$991,200$376 cheaper homes ($941K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02114 57%2,596$132,210$924,400$1,148 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($1008K less) · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98007 57%956$131,109$1,018,100$543 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($914K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98122 57%957$106,886$957,100$551 cheaper homes ($975K less) · larger · younger residents
Weehawken, NJ 07086 56%2,451$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($1043K less) · 11 min longer commute · less walkable
New York, NY 10044 56%2,454$103,347$1,034,100$967 cheaper homes ($898K less) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11231 56%2,452$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($321K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20008 56%2,299$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($967K less) · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98103 56%962$131,154$1,044,100$570 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($888K less) · larger

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.