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 94610

Oakland: median income $134,507, home value $1,379,700, $642/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cambridge, MA 02140 82%2,679$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($230K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98116 79%675$126,151$973,400$612 cheaper homes ($406K less) · newer homes
Watertown, MA 02472 78%2,677$126,336$784,600$507 cheaper homes ($595K less)
Washington, DC 20008 78%2,423$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($415K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98119 78%679$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($332K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Montclair, NJ 07042 77%2,544$122,847$821,700$590 cheaper homes ($558K less) · older homes
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 76%2,681$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($557K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, MA 02474 76%2,677$150,560$933,200$598 cheaper homes ($447K less) · more homeowners
Weehawken, NJ 07086 76%2,554$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($491K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98103 75%681$131,154$1,044,100$570 cheaper homes ($336K less) · larger · younger residents
Washington, DC 20007 74%2,423$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80209 74%938$125,733$1,018,300$513 cheaper homes ($361K less) · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Somerville, MA 02144 73%2,679$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($391K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Brookline, MA 02445 73%2,680$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($153K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Alexandria, VA 22305 73%2,425$113,537$864,500$521 cheaper homes ($515K less) · smaller · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 72%2,571$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($281K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Harrison, NY 10528 72%2,567$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($442K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Somerville, MA 02143 71%2,681$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($453K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Brookline, MA 02446 71%2,680$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($198K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02127 70%2,684$164,387$863,700$828 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($516K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10128 70%2,558$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Washington, DC 20002 70%2,428$120,337$826,400$494 cheaper homes ($553K less) · larger · younger residents
Denver, CO 80211 70%936$121,439$807,100$442 cheaper homes ($573K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Newton, MA 02458 69%2,677$153,520$1,136,100$544 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Bethesda, MD 20814 69%2,420$150,996$989,600$425 cheaper homes ($390K less) · more homeowners · 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.