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 94606

Oakland: median income $72,470, home value $802,700, $494/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dorchester, MA 02125 80%2,683$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($146K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Jersey City, NJ 07304 78%2,553$70,986$537,200$429 cheaper homes ($266K less) · 9 min longer commute
Woodside, NY 11377 78%2,561$73,073$727,200$586 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02128 77%2,685$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($135K less) · older homes
New Rochelle, NY 10801 77%2,565$85,573$575,300$378 cheaper homes ($227K less) · more homeowners
Union City, NJ 07087 76%2,554$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($331K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 76%2,553$83,297$582,600$567 cheaper homes ($220K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Wallington, NJ 07057 74%2,549$85,862$528,300$392 cheaper homes ($274K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 74%2,428$68,846$527,900$298 cheaper homes ($275K less) · smaller
Framingham, MA 01702 73%2,666$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($220K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Roxbury, MA 02119 73%2,682$48,488$688,600$459 cheaper homes ($114K less) · newer homes
Fairview, NJ 07022 73%2,555$63,606$511,400$389 cheaper homes ($291K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Elizabeth, NJ 07208 73%2,546$65,511$459,200$321 cheaper homes ($344K less)
Jersey City, NJ 07306 73%2,553$74,953$516,000$478 cheaper homes ($287K less) · 8 min longer commute
Chelsea, MA 02150 72%2,684$72,179$493,500$400 cheaper homes ($309K less) · older homes
Bayonne, NJ 07002 72%2,551$83,887$460,100$354 cheaper homes ($343K less) · larger · more homeowners
North Bergen, NJ 07047 72%2,554$78,911$473,500$425 cheaper homes ($329K less) · larger · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80214 72%934$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($244K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 71%2,684$81,923$650,700$418 cheaper homes ($152K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Bronx, NY 10461 71%2,563$67,028$663,500$420 cheaper homes ($139K less) · 13 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22311 71%2,422$87,626$760,300$379 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · newer homes
West New York, NJ 07093 70%2,555$73,174$431,500$445 cheaper homes ($371K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Long Branch, NJ 07740 70%2,563$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($224K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10550 70%2,562$60,701$494,300$300 cheaper homes ($308K less) · 6 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11230 70%2,560$70,027$874,500$458 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · 12 min longer 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.