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 10024

New York: median income $181,560, home value $1,687,800, $1,481/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94118 85%2,568$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94114 84%2,567$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94117 82%2,567$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94115 78%2,567$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 lower income ($30K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94123 71%2,566$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($312K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94121 70%2,570$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94110 69%2,567$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 cheaper homes ($237K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94122 67%2,570$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($170K less) · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02116 64%185$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 63%183$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($506K less) · smaller
Charlestown, MA 02129 59%186$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($776K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 59%184$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($538K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94131 56%2,568$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02127 55%186$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($824K less) · smaller · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 55%185$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($699K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02139 54%184$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($600K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20007 54%209$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($395K less) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90403 54%2,460$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02445 53%181$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($461K less) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94610 52%2,556$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($308K less) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90405 51%2,460$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($60K less) · pricier homes ($242K more) · smaller
Somerville, MA 02143 50%185$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($761K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94109 50%2,566$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($76K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · more renters
Boston, MA 02108 49%185$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 higher income ($31K more) · smaller · younger residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 49%182$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($866K less) · 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.