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 10022

New York: median income $172,026, home value $1,108,200, $1,092/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20007 72%208$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($184K more) · younger residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 69%1,100$181,505$1,575,300$994 pricier homes ($467K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Charlestown, MA 02129 64%187$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller · younger residents
Washington, DC 20008 63%207$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · younger residents
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 62%2,460$134,313$997,600$700 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94114 62%2,568$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($629K more) · 5 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94131 62%2,569$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($605K more) · younger residents
Boston, MA 02127 61%187$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($245K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Cambridge, MA 02140 61%185$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94404 61%2,565$192,332$1,714,400$916 pricier homes ($606K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Santa Monica, CA 90403 59%2,461$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($441K more) · more renters
Brookline, MA 02445 58%182$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($119K more) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 58%183$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($73K more) · younger residents
Alexandria, VA 22314 58%212$148,451$899,000$624 cheaper homes ($209K less) · younger residents · more walkable
San Francisco, CA 94115 57%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($571K more) · younger residents · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94122 57%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($410K more) · larger
Oakland, CA 94610 57%2,557$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($272K more) · younger residents
Washington, DC 20016 56%208$178,920$1,216,000$565 pricier homes ($108K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mountain View, CA 94043 56%2,559$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($533K more) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94118 56%2,569$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($677K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94121 56%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($39K less) · pricier homes ($503K more) · more single-family homes
West Hollywood, CA 90069 55%2,453$107,987$1,074,900$814 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 54%183$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94117 54%2,568$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($493K more) · younger residents · more renters
Arlington, MA 02474 53%185$150,560$933,200$598 cheaper homes ($175K less) · younger residents · more single-family 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.