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 10013

New York: median income $161,154, home value $2M+*, $2,091/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 87%2,566$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 cheaper homes ($321K less)
San Francisco, CA 94117 83%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 cheaper homes ($399K less)
San Francisco, CA 94118 81%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 cheaper homes ($215K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02116 80%189$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($438K less) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94123 74%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($57K more) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94114 69%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($43K more) · cheaper homes ($263K less) · 5 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94110 66%2,566$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 cheaper homes ($550K less) · larger · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94121 64%2,569$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($389K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02108 59%189$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 higher income ($52K more) · cheaper homes ($332K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 59%186$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($819K less)
San Francisco, CA 94109 59%2,565$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($700K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94122 59%2,569$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 cheaper homes ($482K less) · larger · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02139 58%188$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($913K less) · younger residents
Santa Monica, CA 90403 57%2,459$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · newer homes
Santa Monica, CA 90405 57%2,459$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · more single-family homes
Cambridge, MA 02140 56%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($850K less) · younger residents
Charlestown, MA 02129 55%190$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($1088K less) · more homeowners
Los Angeles, CA 90036 53%2,451$109,785$1,881,900$830 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · more renters
Mountain View, CA 94040 53%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($27K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Boston, MA 02118 52%188$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($942K less)
Venice, CA 90291 52%2,459$122,738$2M+*$1,244 lower income ($38K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90048 51%2,452$103,495$1,932,000$952 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · more single-family homes
Mountain View, CA 94041 50%2,558$178,558$2M+*$1,250 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Somerville, MA 02143 49%189$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($1073K less) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 49%189$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($1011K less) · younger residents

* 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.