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 10021

New York: median income $158,677, home value $1,377,500, $1,262/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Monica, CA 90403 74%2,461$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($171K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94115 73%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($302K more) · younger residents · more renters
Cambridge, MA 02140 70%184$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($228K less) · smaller · younger residents
Washington, DC 20007 70%209$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · younger residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 67%1,101$181,505$1,575,300$994 pricier homes ($198K more) · smaller · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94118 67%2,569$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($407K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94131 66%2,569$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($336K more) · more single-family homes
San Mateo, CA 94404 66%2,565$192,332$1,714,400$916 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($337K more) · more single-family homes
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 65%2,461$134,313$997,600$700 cheaper homes ($380K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Santa Monica, CA 90405 65%2,461$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($552K more) · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94114 65%2,568$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($360K more) · 5 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94117 65%2,569$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($224K more) · younger residents · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94121 65%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($234K more) · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94122 65%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 pricier homes ($140K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Charlestown, MA 02129 64%186$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($466K less) · smaller · younger residents
West Hollywood, CA 90069 64%2,454$107,987$1,074,900$814 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($303K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94043 64%2,559$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($264K more) · younger residents
Oakland, CA 94610 64%2,557$134,507$1,379,700$642 more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02116 63%185$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($185K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02127 63%186$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($514K less) · younger residents · older homes
Brookline, MA 02446 63%183$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($196K less) · younger residents
Washington, DC 20008 63%208$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($412K less) · younger residents
Mountain View, CA 94040 63%2,560$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($623K more) · younger residents
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 62%2,461$146,167$1,272,200$834 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94110 61%2,568$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · 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.