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 10014

New York: median income $176,395, home value $1,284,100, $2,268/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94117 79%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($317K more) · 5 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94115 77%2,566$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($395K more)
Boston, MA 02116 73%188$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($278K more)
San Francisco, CA 94118 70%2,567$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($501K more) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94123 70%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($716K more) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94114 66%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($453K more) · 7 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02139 61%188$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($197K less) · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 61%186$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($103K less)
Boston, MA 02108 58%189$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($384K more) · smaller
Charlestown, MA 02129 57%190$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($372K less) · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02109 56%189$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($326K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 56%188$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($134K less) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94110 54%2,566$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($166K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02114 53%189$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($360K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94040 51%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 pricier homes ($716K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
San Francisco, CA 94121 51%2,569$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($327K more) · older residents
Boston, MA 02127 50%189$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($420K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02138 50%187$119,967$1,212,400$919 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02143 50%188$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($357K less) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 50%188$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($295K less) · younger residents
Santa Monica, CA 90403 50%2,459$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($54K less) · pricier homes ($265K more) · newer homes
Brookline, MA 02445 48%185$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94122 48%2,569$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($234K more) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94109 47%2,565$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($70K less) · larger · more renters
Washington, DC 20007 46%206$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($35K less) · 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.