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.

Reset

Towns most like New York, NY 10028

New York: median income $175,121, home value $1,602,600, $1,460/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 81%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94117 77%2,569$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 younger residents · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94118 76%2,570$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($182K more) · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94114 75%2,569$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($135K more) · more single-family homes
Cambridge, MA 02140 69%184$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($453K less) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90403 68%2,462$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Mountain View, CA 94040 66%2,560$187,781$2M+*$1,570 pricier homes ($397K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94123 66%2,568$218,603$2M+*$1,423 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($397K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94131 66%2,569$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02116 64%184$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 63%182$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($421K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94121 63%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 lower income ($42K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94110 62%2,568$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 cheaper homes ($152K less) · more single-family homes · more walkable
San Francisco, CA 94122 62%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($85K less) · more single-family homes
Washington, DC 20007 61%210$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($310K less) · smaller
Hoboken, NJ 07030 60%5$180,579$895,100$974 cheaper homes ($708K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Santa Monica, CA 90405 60%2,461$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($54K less) · pricier homes ($327K more) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94404 60%2,565$192,332$1,714,400$916 pricier homes ($112K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Boston, MA 02127 59%185$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($739K less) · younger residents
Charlestown, MA 02129 59%186$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($691K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mountain View, CA 94041 59%2,559$178,558$2M+*$1,250 pricier homes ($397K more) · smaller · younger residents
Mountain View, CA 94043 59%2,559$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($39K more) · younger residents
Oakland, CA 94610 58%2,558$134,507$1,379,700$642 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($223K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20008 57%208$125,212$965,100$596 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($638K less) · smaller
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 57%2,461$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($330K 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.