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 10017

New York: median income $136,705, home value $756,600, $1,269/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02114 79%187$132,210$924,400$1,148 pricier homes ($168K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Cambridge, MA 02140 71%185$135,286$1,149,800$931 pricier homes ($393K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20008 71%206$125,212$965,100$596 pricier homes ($209K more) · larger
Washington, DC 20005 69%206$116,724$640,600$605 cheaper homes ($116K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Boston, MA 02109 67%187$158,843$958,000$1,152 pricier homes ($201K more) · smaller · younger residents
Santa Monica, CA 90403 66%2,461$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 pricier homes ($792K more) · larger · more walkable
Cambridge, MA 02141 64%186$126,522$868,100$842 pricier homes ($112K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Brookline, MA 02446 64%184$131,963$1,181,500$843 pricier homes ($425K more) · larger · younger residents
West Hollywood, CA 90069 64%2,453$107,987$1,074,900$814 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($318K more) · more single-family homes
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 61%2,460$134,313$997,600$700 pricier homes ($241K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94115 61%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($922K more) · larger · more walkable
Boston, MA 02116 60%186$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 pricier homes ($806K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Cambridge, MA 02139 60%185$134,586$1,087,500$965 pricier homes ($331K more) · larger · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02143 60%186$130,753$926,800$769 pricier homes ($170K more) · larger · younger residents
Washington, DC 20009 60%206$146,664$722,500$636 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
Arlington, VA 22209 60%209$120,515$820,000$602 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Charlestown, MA 02129 59%188$157,247$912,000$948 pricier homes ($155K more) · more homeowners · more walkable
Weehawken, NJ 07086 59%3$127,763$889,000$672 pricier homes ($132K more) · 12 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02127 58%187$164,387$863,700$828 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($107K more) · larger
Washington, DC 20007 58%208$140,996$1,292,400$727 pricier homes ($536K more) · larger · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20037 58%207$111,153$685,300$639 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98102 58%2,402$114,925$963,200$617 pricier homes ($207K more) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02113 57%187$113,314$662,000$1,091 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 57%186$150,313$988,800$713 pricier homes ($232K more) · larger · younger residents
Miami, FL 33129 57%1,096$113,367$736,300$632 more homeowners · more single-family homes · newer homes

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.