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 New York, NY 10004

New York: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,477,700, $1,175/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02108 84%190$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($190K more) · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94123 70%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($522K more) · larger
Boston, MA 02109 63%190$158,843$958,000$1,152 lower income ($91K less) · cheaper homes ($520K less) · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94114 57%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 lower income ($46K less) · pricier homes ($260K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94117 54%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 lower income ($83K less) · pricier homes ($123K more) · larger
Charlestown, MA 02129 51%191$157,247$912,000$948 lower income ($93K less) · cheaper homes ($566K less) · larger
Brookline, MA 02445 47%186$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($110K less) · cheaper homes ($251K less) · larger
Somerville, MA 02144 46%189$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($100K less) · cheaper homes ($489K less) · larger
Brookline, MA 02446 46%187$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($118K less) · cheaper homes ($296K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94118 46%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 lower income ($86K less) · pricier homes ($307K more) · larger
Boston, MA 02116 45%189$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($124K less) · pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Boston, MA 02127 44%190$164,387$863,700$828 lower income ($86K less) · cheaper homes ($614K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94115 44%2,566$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 lower income ($98K less) · pricier homes ($201K more) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02140 43%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($115K less) · cheaper homes ($328K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20007 43%205$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($109K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22301 43%208$194,819$1,027,900$616 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($450K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02139 41%188$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($115K less) · cheaper homes ($390K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94131 40%2,567$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($236K more) · larger
Somerville, MA 02143 39%189$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($119K less) · cheaper homes ($551K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94041 37%2,557$178,558$2M+*$1,250 lower income ($71K less) · pricier homes ($522K more) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02138 36%188$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($130K less) · cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger
Newtonville, MA 02460 36%184$177,837$1,224,600$588 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($253K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02114 35%190$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($118K less) · cheaper homes ($553K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20009 35%203$146,664$722,500$636 lower income ($103K less) · cheaper homes ($755K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94040 35%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 lower income ($62K less) · pricier homes ($522K more) · larger

* 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.