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 Oakland, CA 94601

Oakland: median income $72,359, home value $710,000, $458/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Everett, WA 98201 86%705$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($210K less) · smaller · newer homes
Kearny, NJ 07032 82%2,547$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($251K less)
Plainfield, NJ 07060 82%2,536$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($316K less)
Lynn, MA 01902 81%2,687$67,046$478,000$348 cheaper homes ($232K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Clifton, NJ 07011 81%2,546$74,194$428,900$426 cheaper homes ($281K less)
Brockton, MA 02301 80%2,687$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($261K less) · more homeowners
Lowell, MA 01851 79%2,665$92,401$467,000$324 cheaper homes ($243K less) · smaller
Garfield, NJ 07026 79%2,548$79,700$475,500$381 cheaper homes ($235K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Lowell, MA 01852 78%2,667$80,906$424,300$328 cheaper homes ($286K less)
Lynn, MA 01905 77%2,685$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 77%2,683$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Everett, MA 02149 77%2,682$85,218$610,000$375 cheaper homes ($100K less) · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Long Branch, NJ 07740 77%2,562$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · newer homes
Hempstead, NY 11550 77%2,575$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($245K less) · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33161 77%2,576$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($268K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80214 77%933$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · newer homes
Revere, MA 02151 76%2,685$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($113K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 76%2,545$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($251K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
New Rochelle, NY 10801 76%2,564$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($135K less)
Lawrence, MA 01843 75%2,673$67,585$429,100$334 cheaper homes ($281K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Framingham, MA 01702 74%2,665$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($127K less) · newer homes
Hyde Park, MA 02136 74%2,681$96,737$578,400$426 cheaper homes ($132K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lodi, NJ 07644 74%2,549$89,305$475,000$433 cheaper homes ($235K less) · smaller · older residents
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 73%2,544$64,491$370,900$328 cheaper homes ($339K less) · newer homes
Lake Worth, FL 33460 73%2,559$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($305K less) · newer homes

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.