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 10018

New York: median income $145,958, home value $1,044,800, $1,183/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cambridge, MA 02142 75%187$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 pricier homes ($910K more) · smaller
Playa Vista, CA 90094 75%2,458$145,744$1,356,000$885 pricier homes ($311K more) · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02210 74%188$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($146K more) · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90401 73%2,460$110,385$1,149,200$1,151 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($104K more) · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95113 73%2,549$151,685$956,500$714 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98101 71%2,401$128,882$784,200$657 cheaper homes ($261K less) · larger · more walkable
Cambridge, MA 02141 69%187$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98109 67%2,402$133,663$1,034,100$649 larger · more walkable
Jersey City, NJ 07310 64%3$183,464$844,400$695 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($200K less) · larger
Los Angeles, CA 90010 64%2,449$101,455$834,100$601 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22209 63%208$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($225K less) · larger
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 63%2,459$146,167$1,272,200$834 pricier homes ($227K more) · larger · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94107 63%2,565$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($178K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98121 63%2,402$152,019$848,400$575 cheaper homes ($196K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Irvine, CA 92612 62%2,435$106,226$993,800$750 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07302 61%4$175,077$865,100$888 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($180K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94158 61%2,564$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 higher income ($51K more) · pricier homes ($385K more) · more homeowners
Palo Alto, CA 94304 61%2,562$154,141$2M+*— pricier homes ($955K more) · smaller · older residents
Washington, DC 20003 60%205$159,846$957,700$625 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94103 60%2,566$116,438$1,022,800$857 lower income ($30K less) · larger · more walkable
Arlington, VA 22203 59%211$140,135$826,800$511 cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75201 59%1,372$103,761$688,100$614 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($357K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94105 58%2,564$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($79K more) · pricier homes ($353K more) · larger
Boston, MA 02114 56%188$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Arlington, VA 22201 56%209$145,000$781,600$625 cheaper homes ($263K less) · larger · 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.