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 10023

New York: median income $159,874, home value $1,358,100, $1,560/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 79%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($321K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94117 74%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($243K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94118 72%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($427K more) · smaller · older homes
Santa Monica, CA 90403 70%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($191K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94114 69%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($379K more) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 68%185$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($208K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boston, MA 02116 67%185$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($204K more) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 65%183$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94121 63%2,570$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($253K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94122 63%2,570$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 pricier homes ($160K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Mountain View, CA 94040 62%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($642K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94110 62%2,566$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 pricier homes ($92K more) · more single-family homes · more walkable
Washington, DC 20007 61%208$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90405 61%2,460$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($39K less) · pricier homes ($572K more) · smaller
Boston, MA 02127 60%186$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($494K less) · smaller · younger residents
Charlestown, MA 02129 60%187$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($446K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02139 59%185$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($271K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20008 59%207$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($393K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94131 59%2,568$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($355K more) · smaller
Hoboken, NJ 07030 57%3$180,579$895,100$974 cheaper homes ($463K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94123 57%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($59K more) · pricier homes ($642K more) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94610 57%2,556$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($25K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02114 56%186$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($434K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02445 55%182$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mountain View, CA 94043 55%2,557$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($283K more) · smaller

* 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.