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 10128

New York: median income $147,772, home value $1,442,000, $1,157/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94115 83%2,568$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 pricier homes ($237K more) · smaller · younger residents
Santa Monica, CA 90403 79%2,462$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($107K more) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 77%183$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($292K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94117 74%2,569$167,066$1,601,100$1,255 pricier homes ($159K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94118 74%2,570$163,995$1,784,700$1,272 pricier homes ($343K more) · more walkable · older homes
Oakland, CA 94610 70%2,558$134,507$1,379,700$642 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 68%2,461$146,167$1,272,200$834 cheaper homes ($170K less) · smaller · more walkable
Washington, DC 20008 67%208$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($477K less) · smaller
Santa Monica, CA 90405 67%2,461$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($488K more) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94121 67%2,571$133,358$1,611,400$1,132 pricier homes ($169K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Brookline, MA 02446 66%182$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($261K less) · smaller · younger residents
Weehawken, NJ 07086 66%4$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($553K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02116 64%184$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94122 64%2,571$146,250$1,517,700$1,144 pricier homes ($76K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Hoboken, NJ 07030 63%5$180,579$895,100$974 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($547K less) · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94110 63%2,568$158,351$1,450,400$1,059 more single-family homes · more walkable · older homes
Boston, MA 02127 62%185$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($578K less) · smaller · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90036 62%2,453$109,785$1,881,900$830 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($440K more) · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90046 62%2,453$96,250$1,515,000$841 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($73K more) · more single-family homes
West Hollywood, CA 90069 62%2,454$107,987$1,074,900$814 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($367K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94109 62%2,567$106,018$1,300,300$1,070 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($142K less) · more renters
Somerville, MA 02144 61%184$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($453K less) · smaller · younger residents
San Francisco, CA 94114 61%2,569$204,134$1,737,300$1,280 higher income ($56K more) · pricier homes ($295K more) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92109 60%2,432$122,128$1,226,900$1,117 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($215K less) · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02139 59%183$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($355K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute

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.