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 Oakland, CA 94602

Oakland: median income $122,263, home value $1,129,500, $720/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Melrose, MA 02176 83%2,680$133,953$822,900$494 cheaper homes ($307K less) · 6 min longer commute
West Roxbury, MA 02132 80%2,678$138,724$746,100$505 cheaper homes ($383K less)
Seattle, WA 98136 76%673$149,269$925,000$544 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller
Rutherford, NJ 07070 74%2,547$143,153$603,600$489 cheaper homes ($526K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Leonia, NJ 07605 74%2,553$129,219$672,900$469 cheaper homes ($457K less) · smaller
Montclair, NJ 07042 73%2,542$122,847$821,700$590 cheaper homes ($308K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Mamaroneck, NY 10543 73%2,565$126,417$729,600$560 cheaper homes ($400K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Honolulu, HI 96816 73%2,404$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Arlington, MA 02476 72%2,675$151,131$934,800$609 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller
Port Washington, NY 11050 72%2,569$154,225$1,035,400$718 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($94K less) · 8 min longer commute
Mineola, NY 11501 72%2,573$137,665$655,500$522 cheaper homes ($474K less) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98126 72%673$116,466$783,700$525 cheaper homes ($346K less) · newer homes
Wakefield, MA 01880 71%2,679$134,306$723,500$468 cheaper homes ($406K less) · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06830 71%2,569$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($531K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Summit, NJ 07901 71%2,536$179,701$987,900$715 higher income ($57K more) · cheaper homes ($142K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80212 71%933$124,972$744,500$453 cheaper homes ($385K less) · smaller · newer homes
Waltham, MA 02451 70%2,672$122,335$753,000$487 cheaper homes ($377K less) · smaller · newer homes
Rockville Centre, NY 11570 70%2,574$157,163$809,200$536 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($320K less) · 9 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20012 70%2,423$121,418$863,900$421 cheaper homes ($266K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 70%2,380$107,889$753,600$451 cheaper homes ($376K less) · smaller · older residents
Beverly, MA 01915 69%2,688$104,918$649,700$475 cheaper homes ($480K less) · newer homes
Dedham, MA 02026 69%2,678$128,955$661,800$448 cheaper homes ($468K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
New Milford, NJ 07646 69%2,551$114,889$580,400$467 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · newer homes
Denver, CO 80220 69%940$106,054$805,400$382 cheaper homes ($324K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Portland, OR 97212 69%535$131,932$876,800$331 cheaper homes ($253K less) · 7 min shorter commute

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.