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 New York, NY 10003

New York: median income $154,262, home value $1,123,200, $1,776/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02116 82%188$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($439K more) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02139 82%187$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($36K less)
San Francisco, CA 94117 77%2,568$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($478K more) · 8 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02138 75%187$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($89K more)
Brookline, MA 02446 74%185$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94115 73%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($556K more) · smaller · older residents
Charlestown, MA 02129 67%189$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 65%187$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Somerville, MA 02143 65%188$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02127 64%189$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($260K less) · 7 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94118 64%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($662K more) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Somerville, MA 02144 63%188$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Brookline, MA 02445 62%184$139,747$1,227,000$776 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94123 62%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($64K more) · pricier homes ($877K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02114 61%188$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller · more renters
Washington, DC 20009 61%204$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($401K less) · 5 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02109 57%189$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · more walkable
San Francisco, CA 94110 57%2,567$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($327K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20007 56%206$140,996$1,292,400$727 pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller · older residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 55%185$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($301K less) · 7 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94114 55%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($50K more) · pricier homes ($614K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02118 53%187$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02113 51%189$113,314$662,000$1,091 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($461K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94109 51%2,566$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($177K more) · older residents
Boston, MA 02108 50%188$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 higher income ($59K more) · pricier homes ($544K more) · smaller

* 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.