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 94603

Oakland: median income $76,723, home value $614,700, $416/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98168 85%674$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($67K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80219 84%932$68,415$454,600$344 cheaper homes ($160K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98405 81%657$75,946$464,700$300 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85007 80%639$63,616$480,600$340 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller
Paterson, NJ 07502 79%2,541$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33162 78%2,572$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($211K less) · newer homes
Dover, NJ 07801 77%2,523$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($222K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Hempstead, NY 11550 77%2,574$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Aurora, CO 80010 77%941$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($190K less) · newer homes
Everett, WA 98201 77%708$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lake Worth, FL 33460 75%2,556$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($209K less) · newer homes
Lynn, MA 01905 74%2,684$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($116K less) · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Brockton, MA 02301 74%2,686$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($165K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
New Bedford, MA 02745 74%2,697$74,034$368,600$316 cheaper homes ($246K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Lowell, MA 01850 73%2,665$69,780$390,800$313 cheaper homes ($224K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Linden, NJ 07036 73%2,542$91,882$417,900$463 cheaper homes ($197K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Plainfield, NJ 07063 73%2,533$93,304$392,500$383 cheaper homes ($222K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Keansburg, NJ 07734 73%2,551$82,029$346,900$340 cheaper homes ($268K less) · smaller · older residents
Bremerton, WA 98310 73%682$75,878$440,500$286 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 72%2,534$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($221K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Roselle, NJ 07203 72%2,542$92,762$379,900$350 cheaper homes ($235K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Riverdale, MD 20737 72%2,428$86,951$390,500$286 cheaper homes ($224K less) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Portland, OR 97220 72%539$70,137$450,200$325 cheaper homes ($165K less) · older residents
Portland, OR 97266 72%535$72,577$445,700$302 cheaper homes ($169K less) · newer homes
Miami, FL 33167 71%2,571$62,846$381,100$335 cheaper homes ($234K less) · smaller · older residents

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.