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 10012

New York: median income $137,106, home value $1,602,800, $2,291/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02116 83%188$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94115 75%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94117 71%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 higher income ($30K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02139 65%188$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($515K less) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02114 61%189$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($678K less) · newer homes
Brookline, MA 02446 60%186$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($421K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94118 59%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($182K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94123 58%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($81K more) · pricier homes ($397K more) · 10 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02109 57%190$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($645K less) · smaller · newer homes
Cambridge, MA 02138 56%187$119,967$1,212,400$919 cheaper homes ($390K less) · larger · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94109 55%2,566$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($303K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02140 53%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($453K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02113 52%190$113,314$662,000$1,091 cheaper homes ($941K less) · smaller · younger residents
Santa Monica, CA 90403 52%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 cheaper homes ($54K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90036 51%2,451$109,785$1,881,900$830 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($279K more) · larger
Berkeley, CA 94709 51%2,556$89,054$1,375,000$877 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($228K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02118 50%188$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($545K less)
Somerville, MA 02143 50%188$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($676K less) · 8 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02108 49%189$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 higher income ($76K more) · pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90405 48%2,459$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 pricier homes ($327K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90048 47%2,452$103,495$1,932,000$952 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($329K more) · more single-family homes
Beverly Hills, CA 90212 47%2,454$118,019$2M+*$745 pricier homes ($397K more) · smaller · older residents
Mountain View, CA 94040 46%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($51K more) · pricier homes ($397K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94114 46%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($67K more) · pricier homes ($135K more) · larger
Charlestown, MA 02129 45%190$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($691K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners

* 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.