OfferBackedBuyer Tools
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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 Somerville, MA 02143

Somerville: median income $130,753, home value $926,800, $769/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Somerville, MA 02144 95%2$150,313$988,800$713 pricier homes ($62K more)
Cambridge, MA 02139 92%1$134,586$1,087,500$965 pricier homes ($161K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Brookline, MA 02446 91%3$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($255K more)
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 90%5$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20009 89%392$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02140 88%2$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($223K more) · newer homes
Boston, MA 02127 84%5$164,387$863,700$828 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · more homeowners
Somerville, MA 02145 84%1$123,755$828,600$598 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Charlestown, MA 02129 82%2$157,247$912,000$948 higher income ($26K more) · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02138 82%1$119,967$1,212,400$919 pricier homes ($286K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20010 82%392$114,126$886,600$471 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Washington, DC 20002 80%391$120,337$826,400$494 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger · newer homes
Brookline, MA 02445 79%4$139,747$1,227,000$776 pricier homes ($300K more) · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20008 78%393$125,212$965,100$596 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94609 78%2,681$107,834$1,207,700$653 pricier homes ($281K more) · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02116 76%3$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 pricier homes ($636K more) · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94117 75%2,692$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($674K more)
Boston, MA 02118 74%4$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($131K more)
Watertown, MA 02472 74%4$126,336$784,600$507 cheaper homes ($142K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60622 73%848$136,277$638,100$414 cheaper homes ($289K less) · larger · more homeowners
Berkeley, CA 94709 73%2,680$89,054$1,375,000$877 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($448K more) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11238 72%189$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 pricier homes ($173K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94115 71%2,691$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($752K more) · older residents
Oakland, CA 94610 71%2,681$134,507$1,379,700$642 pricier homes ($453K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02113 70%3$113,314$662,000$1,091 cheaper homes ($265K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute

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.

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