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 10069

New York: median income $233,636, home value $2M+*, $1,385/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94105 76%2,564$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 cheaper homes ($602K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02210 71%187$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 lower income ($62K less) · cheaper homes ($809K less) · 5 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94158 68%2,564$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · larger
Playa Vista, CA 90094 62%2,458$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($88K less) · cheaper homes ($644K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94107 59%2,565$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($778K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02142 58%186$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 lower income ($86K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Palo Alto, CA 94304 57%2,562$154,141$2M+*— lower income ($79K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more walkable
Santa Clara, CA 95054 52%2,551$207,895$1,493,100$922 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98004 50%2,395$182,545$2M+*$915 lower income ($51K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Mountain View, CA 94041 48%2,557$178,558$2M+*$1,250 lower income ($55K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Mountain View, CA 94040 44%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 lower income ($46K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07302 43%5$175,077$865,100$888 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($1135K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07310 43%4$183,464$844,400$695 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($1156K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20003 43%206$159,846$957,700$625 lower income ($74K less) · cheaper homes ($1042K less) · larger
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 43%2,459$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($87K less) · cheaper homes ($728K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 42%2,554$192,417$1,534,400$906 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94043 40%2,557$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($359K less) · larger
Hoboken, NJ 07030 37%3$180,579$895,100$974 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($1105K less) · larger
San Mateo, CA 94404 37%2,563$192,332$1,714,400$916 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 36%2,555$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94111 36%2,564$152,697$1,248,900$944 lower income ($81K less) · cheaper homes ($751K less) · older residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 35%1,101$181,505$1,575,300$994 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78701 35%1,513$162,168$722,400$705 lower income ($71K less) · cheaper homes ($1278K less) · larger
Redwood City, CA 94065 33%2,563$215,955$1,811,800$912 cheaper homes ($188K less) · larger · more homeowners
San Jose, CA 95113 33%2,549$151,685$956,500$714 lower income ($82K less) · cheaper homes ($1044K 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.