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 94618

Oakland: median income $201,780, home value $1,753,100, $855/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 85%2,675$224,000$1,255,400$684 cheaper homes ($498K less) · smaller
West Newton, MA 02465 83%2,674$194,265$1,159,200$619 cheaper homes ($594K less)
Seattle, WA 98112 83%676$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($204K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20015 82%2,422$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($508K less)
Newton Center, MA 02459 81%2,676$227,594$1,450,900$586 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · more homeowners
Belmont, MA 02478 81%2,676$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($594K less) · larger
Larchmont, NY 10538 80%2,565$207,969$1,266,600$807 cheaper homes ($487K less) · 9 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98199 78%678$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($554K less) · newer homes
Rye, NY 10580 77%2,567$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($48K more) · pricier homes ($154K more) · 9 min longer commute
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 75%2,421$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($459K less) · larger · newer homes
Winchester, MA 01890 74%2,677$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($538K less) · more homeowners
Newtonville, MA 02460 74%2,675$177,837$1,224,600$588 cheaper homes ($529K less) · smaller · more renters
Wellesley, MA 02482 74%2,671$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($401K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Summit, NJ 07901 74%2,537$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($765K less)
Washington, DC 20016 74%2,421$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($537K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98117 73%680$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($710K less) · larger
Lexington, MA 02421 72%2,673$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($547K less) · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22205 72%2,419$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($660K less) · more single-family homes
Mercer Island, WA 98040 72%671$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($247K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Millburn, NJ 07041 71%2,540$202,750$961,700$771 cheaper homes ($791K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Pelham, NY 10803 69%2,562$215,208$978,600$646 cheaper homes ($775K less) · 8 min longer commute
Bethesda, MD 20816 69%2,419$232,656$1,217,200$495 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($536K less) · more homeowners
Needham Heights, MA 02494 68%2,674$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($645K less) · smaller · newer homes
Cos Cob, CT 06807 67%2,571$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($310K less) · smaller · younger residents
Manhasset, NY 11030 67%2,570$234,966$1,766,500$911 higher income ($33K more) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners

* 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.