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 10010

New York: median income $144,969, home value $1,036,200, $1,985/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 83%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($643K more)
Boston, MA 02116 76%187$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 pricier homes ($526K more) · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94117 76%2,568$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($565K more) · older homes
Boston, MA 02114 75%188$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 75%186$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($114K more)
Cambridge, MA 02139 72%186$134,586$1,087,500$965 pricier homes ($51K more) · older homes
Brookline, MA 02446 67%185$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($145K more) · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94118 65%2,569$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($749K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Somerville, MA 02143 64%187$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($109K less) · older homes
Santa Monica, CA 90403 64%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 pricier homes ($513K more) · older residents · newer homes
Boston, MA 02109 63%188$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · more walkable
Boston, MA 02127 63%188$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($173K less) · more homeowners
San Diego, CA 92109 63%2,431$122,128$1,226,900$1,117 pricier homes ($191K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Boston, MA 02118 61%187$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($47K less)
Charlestown, MA 02129 61%189$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02138 60%186$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($176K more) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 60%187$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94109 59%2,566$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($39K less) · pricier homes ($264K more) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02141 58%187$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($168K less) · smaller · newer homes
Mountain View, CA 94040 58%2,559$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($964K more) · more single-family homes
Hoboken, NJ 07030 57%3$180,579$895,100$974 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94123 57%2,567$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($74K more) · pricier homes ($964K more) · more walkable
Boston, MA 02113 56%188$113,314$662,000$1,091 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($374K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94041 56%2,558$178,558$2M+*$1,250 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($964K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20009 55%205$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($314K less) · larger · older homes

* 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.