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 10282

New York: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,209/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94105 72%2,563$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($602K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02210 66%190$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($809K less) · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02142 65%189$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 lower income ($102K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Palo Alto, CA 94304 64%2,561$154,141$2M+*— lower income ($96K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94158 63%2,564$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · larger
Playa Vista, CA 90094 54%2,457$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($104K less) · cheaper homes ($644K less) · larger
Santa Clara, CA 95054 54%2,551$207,895$1,493,100$922 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94107 53%2,564$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($778K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94041 50%2,557$178,558$2M+*$1,250 lower income ($71K less) · larger · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98004 48%2,396$182,545$2M+*$915 lower income ($67K less) · larger · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94111 45%2,564$152,697$1,248,900$944 lower income ($97K less) · cheaper homes ($751K less) · older residents
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 43%2,458$146,167$1,272,200$834 lower income ($104K less) · cheaper homes ($728K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 43%2,554$192,417$1,534,400$906 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95113 43%2,549$151,685$956,500$714 lower income ($98K less) · cheaper homes ($1044K less) · smaller
Jersey City, NJ 07310 42%2$183,464$844,400$695 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($1156K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94040 41%2,558$187,781$2M+*$1,570 lower income ($62K less) · larger · more homeowners
Santa Monica, CA 90401 39%2,459$110,385$1,149,200$1,151 lower income ($140K less) · cheaper homes ($851K less)
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 39%2,554$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 lower income ($73K less) · cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07302 38%2$175,077$865,100$888 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($1135K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98121 38%2,402$152,019$848,400$575 lower income ($98K less) · cheaper homes ($1152K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20003 37%202$159,846$957,700$625 lower income ($90K less) · cheaper homes ($1042K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94043 37%2,557$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($359K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98109 35%2,402$133,663$1,034,100$649 lower income ($116K less) · cheaper homes ($966K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98101 33%2,401$128,882$784,200$657 lower income ($121K less) · cheaper homes ($1216K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02114 32%190$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($118K less) · cheaper homes ($1076K less) · larger

* 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.