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 94611

Oakland: median income $180,549, home value $1,537,700, $751/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Summit, NJ 07901 87%2,536$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($550K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98199 87%677$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($339K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 85%2,420$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($244K less)
Port Washington, NY 11050 83%2,568$154,225$1,035,400$718 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($502K less)
Greenwich, CT 06830 82%2,569$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Belmont, MA 02478 80%2,675$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($379K less) · older homes
Washington, DC 20016 79%2,420$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($322K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98115 79%680$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($443K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98112 78%676$171,572$1,549,100$681 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · older homes
Falls Church, VA 22046 77%2,416$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($523K less) · smaller
Needham Heights, MA 02494 76%2,673$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($430K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 76%671$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($462K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98117 76%680$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($494K less)
Lexington, MA 02421 74%2,672$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($47K more) · cheaper homes ($332K less) · smaller
Madison, NJ 07940 74%2,532$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($597K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98136 74%670$149,269$925,000$544 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($613K less) · smaller
Winchester, MA 01890 73%2,676$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($323K less) · smaller
Cos Cob, CT 06807 73%2,570$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · less walkable
Rye, NY 10580 73%2,566$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($69K more) · pricier homes ($369K more) · smaller
West Newton, MA 02465 72%2,673$194,265$1,159,200$619 cheaper homes ($379K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33156 72%2,578$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($418K less) · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98008 72%675$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($332K less) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Concord, MA 01742 70%2,664$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($320K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Arlington, MA 02474 70%2,675$150,560$933,200$598 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($605K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, MA 02476 69%2,674$151,131$934,800$609 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($603K less) · smaller

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.