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 Berkeley, CA 94705

Berkeley: median income $167,970, home value $1,992,800, $899/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98112 83%675$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($444K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Newtonville, MA 02460 77%2,675$177,837$1,224,600$588 cheaper homes ($768K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Belmont, MA 02478 77%2,676$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($834K less) · larger
West Newton, MA 02465 76%2,674$194,265$1,159,200$619 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($834K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Arlington, MA 02476 71%2,676$151,131$934,800$609 cheaper homes ($1058K less)
Greenwich, CT 06830 71%2,570$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($332K less) · larger · less walkable
Larchmont, NY 10538 71%2,565$207,969$1,266,600$807 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($726K less) · 7 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98199 70%677$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Newton, MA 02458 68%2,676$153,520$1,136,100$544 cheaper homes ($857K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 68%2,675$224,000$1,255,400$684 higher income ($56K more) · cheaper homes ($737K less) · smaller
Summit, NJ 07901 68%2,537$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1005K less) · larger · newer homes
Washington, DC 20016 65%2,421$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($777K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Millburn, NJ 07041 64%2,540$202,750$961,700$771 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($1031K less) · smaller
Auburndale, MA 02466 63%2,673$170,089$1,174,000$561 cheaper homes ($819K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98117 63%679$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($949K less) · larger · more homeowners
Rye, NY 10580 62%2,568$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($82K more) · cheaper homes ($86K less) · 7 min longer commute
Port Washington, NY 11050 62%2,569$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($957K less) · larger · newer homes
Washington, DC 20015 62%2,422$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($82K more) · cheaper homes ($747K less) · more homeowners
Newton Center, MA 02459 61%2,676$227,594$1,450,900$586 higher income ($60K more) · cheaper homes ($542K less) · more homeowners
Arlington, MA 02474 61%2,676$150,560$933,200$598 cheaper homes ($1060K less) · larger · younger residents
Pelham, NY 10803 61%2,563$215,208$978,600$646 higher income ($47K more) · cheaper homes ($1014K less) · 6 min longer commute
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 61%2,421$194,971$1,294,200$480 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($699K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22301 60%2,425$194,819$1,027,900$616 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($965K less) · younger residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 58%2,571$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($550K less) · smaller · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98136 58%669$149,269$925,000$544 cheaper homes ($1068K less) · newer homes

* 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.