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 Berkeley, CA 94703

Berkeley: median income $109,881, home value $1,359,000, $913/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Montclair, NJ 07042 78%2,544$122,847$821,700$590 cheaper homes ($537K less)
Cambridge, MA 02140 75%2,679$135,286$1,149,800$931 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($209K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Brookline, MA 02445 75%2,680$139,747$1,227,000$776 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($132K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 70%2,681$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($537K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Somerville, MA 02143 70%2,681$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($432K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Greenwich, CT 06830 70%2,571$146,654$1,660,700$858 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($302K more) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98119 70%675$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($311K less) · newer homes
Cambridge, MA 02138 69%2,680$119,967$1,212,400$919 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 69%2,680$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($178K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Watertown, MA 02472 68%2,677$126,336$784,600$507 cheaper homes ($574K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, MA 02474 68%2,678$150,560$933,200$598 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($426K less) · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20007 68%2,424$140,996$1,292,400$727 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($67K less) · more homeowners
Alexandria, VA 22305 68%2,425$113,537$864,500$521 cheaper homes ($495K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Miami, FL 33133 68%2,583$103,420$1,022,400$923 cheaper homes ($337K less) · larger · newer homes
Denver, CO 80209 68%939$125,733$1,018,300$513 cheaper homes ($341K less) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98116 68%671$126,151$973,400$612 cheaper homes ($386K less) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98103 67%678$131,154$1,044,100$570 cheaper homes ($315K less) · larger · newer homes
Boston, MA 02118 66%2,683$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($301K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Cambridge, MA 02139 66%2,681$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($272K less) · larger · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 66%2,679$150,313$988,800$713 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($370K less) · younger residents
Newton, MA 02458 66%2,677$153,520$1,136,100$544 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($223K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20008 66%2,424$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($394K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Denver, CO 80211 66%937$121,439$807,100$442 cheaper homes ($552K less) · larger · newer homes
Boston, MA 02116 64%2,682$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 pricier homes ($204K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Somerville, MA 02145 64%2,681$123,755$828,600$598 cheaper homes ($530K less) · more apartments and townhomes

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.