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 10007

New York: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,655/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94105 81%2,564$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($602K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94158 73%2,564$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02210 67%190$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($809K less) · newer homes
Palo Alto, CA 94304 65%2,562$154,141$2M+*— lower income ($96K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Mountain View, CA 94041 62%2,557$178,558$2M+*$1,250 lower income ($71K less) · larger · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94107 62%2,565$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($778K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94040 59%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 lower income ($62K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Santa Clara, CA 95054 58%2,551$207,895$1,493,100$922 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02142 56%189$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 lower income ($102K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94043 54%2,557$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($359K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 54%2,554$192,417$1,534,400$906 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98004 52%2,396$182,545$2M+*$915 lower income ($67K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Playa Vista, CA 90094 51%2,457$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($104K less) · cheaper homes ($644K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 48%2,555$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 lower income ($73K less) · cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 44%2,459$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($104K less) · cheaper homes ($728K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02109 41%190$158,843$958,000$1,152 lower income ($91K less) · cheaper homes ($1042K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94111 41%2,564$152,697$1,248,900$944 lower income ($97K less) · cheaper homes ($751K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02114 39%190$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($118K less) · cheaper homes ($1076K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20003 39%203$159,846$957,700$625 lower income ($90K less) · cheaper homes ($1042K less) · larger
Hoboken, NJ 07030 38%3$180,579$895,100$974 lower income ($69K less) · cheaper homes ($1105K less) · larger
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 38%1,096$181,505$1,575,300$994 lower income ($68K less) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94123 38%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 lower income ($31K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02108 37%190$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($332K less) · smaller
Jersey City, NJ 07302 37%2$175,077$865,100$888 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($1135K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94115 37%2,566$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 lower income ($98K less) · cheaper homes ($321K less) · 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.