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 Boston, MA 02116

Boston: median income $126,496, home value $1,562,500, $1,330/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 85%2,693$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($117K more) · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10012 83%188$137,106$1,602,800$2,291 pricier homes ($40K more) · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94117 83%2,693$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
New York, NY 10003 82%188$154,262$1,123,200$1,776 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($439K less) · larger
New York, NY 10013 80%189$161,154$2M+*$2,091 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($438K more) · older residents
New York, NY 10011 78%188$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 cheaper homes ($381K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10010 76%187$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($526K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11217 75%189$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($74K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94118 75%2,694$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($222K more) · larger
New York, NY 10014 73%188$176,395$1,284,100$2,268 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($278K less)
New York, NY 10065 73%185$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11231 73%190$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Berkeley, CA 94709 72%2,682$89,054$1,375,000$877 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94109 71%2,692$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 cheaper homes ($262K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10025 69%184$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 cheaper homes ($456K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10005 68%189$190,233$1,390,600$1,144 higher income ($64K more) · cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller
Los Angeles, CA 90036 68%2,595$109,785$1,881,900$830 pricier homes ($319K more) · larger · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94110 68%2,693$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
New York, NY 10023 67%185$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11201 67%189$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 higher income ($47K more) · cheaper homes ($452K less) · larger
Los Angeles, CA 90048 67%2,596$103,495$1,932,000$952 pricier homes ($370K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Washington, DC 20007 66%394$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($270K less) · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90403 66%2,603$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 older residents · newer homes
San Francisco, CA 94121 66%2,695$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11222 65%186$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 cheaper homes ($186K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute

* 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.