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.

Reset

Towns most like Playa Vista, CA 90094

Playa Vista: median income $145,744, home value $1,356,000, $885/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20003 79%2,309$159,846$957,700$625 cheaper homes ($398K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02210 76%2,603$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10018 75%2,458$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 cheaper homes ($311K less) · more renters
Seattle, WA 98109 72%966$133,663$1,034,100$649 cheaper homes ($322K less) · larger · younger residents
Jersey City, NJ 07302 71%2,455$175,077$865,100$888 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($491K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22203 70%2,302$140,135$826,800$511 cheaper homes ($529K less) · larger · older homes
Seattle, WA 98107 70%968$142,662$953,400$553 cheaper homes ($403K less) · larger · more single-family homes
New York, NY 10280 68%2,457$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($61K more) · cheaper homes ($380K less) · older homes
Arlington, VA 22201 68%2,303$145,000$781,600$625 cheaper homes ($574K less) · larger · younger residents
Alexandria, VA 22314 68%2,306$148,451$899,000$624 cheaper homes ($457K less) · larger · more homeowners
Arlington, VA 22209 67%2,304$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($536K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98121 67%964$152,019$848,400$575 cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02141 66%2,601$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($488K less) · younger residents · older homes
Austin, TX 78701 66%1,235$162,168$722,400$705 cheaper homes ($634K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20001 65%2,307$138,059$852,600$552 cheaper homes ($503K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98101 64%964$128,882$784,200$657 cheaper homes ($572K less) · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Arlington, VA 22202 63%2,305$133,762$899,000$453 cheaper homes ($457K less) · larger · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 63%2,340$124,812$884,800$542 cheaper homes ($471K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07310 62%2,455$183,464$844,400$695 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($512K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10069 62%2,458$233,636$2M+*$1,385 higher income ($88K more) · pricier homes ($644K more) · smaller
Miami, FL 33131 62%2,346$144,138$655,100$622 cheaper homes ($701K less) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98004 62%963$182,545$2M+*$915 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($644K more) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02142 61%2,602$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 pricier homes ($599K more) · smaller · younger residents
Edgewater, NJ 07020 61%2,459$124,050$715,700$525 cheaper homes ($640K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Long Island City, NY 11101 61%2,461$121,062$971,300$1,596 cheaper homes ($385K less) · larger · 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.