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 San Francisco, CA 94102

San Francisco: median income $60,431, home value $935,900, $963/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10027 82%2,567$59,587$899,600$1,112 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10002 80%2,566$48,386$827,800$1,411 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
New York, NY 10032 73%2,567$56,829$606,500$651 cheaper homes ($329K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
New York, NY 10031 69%2,567$65,283$609,700$623 cheaper homes ($326K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10026 66%2,567$81,244$1,052,300$901 pricier homes ($116K more) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
New York, NY 10033 66%2,567$75,040$695,000$628 cheaper homes ($241K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11206 63%2,569$61,430$839,800$993 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11233 63%2,570$62,411$990,400$664 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10029 62%2,567$38,695$892,200$961 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Woodside, NY 11377 62%2,570$73,073$727,200$586 cheaper homes ($209K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
New York, NY 10030 61%2,567$39,802$844,000$644 cheaper homes ($92K less) · 11 min longer commute
New York, NY 10009 59%2,567$92,876$712,700$1,358 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($223K less) · larger
Astoria, NY 11106 59%2,569$84,867$610,400$652 cheaper homes ($326K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02128 58%2,694$90,106$668,000$646 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($268K less) · younger residents
Portland, ME 04101 58%2,716$63,880$617,600$568 cheaper homes ($318K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11237 58%2,570$85,196$1,084,600$663 pricier homes ($149K more) · younger residents · 12 min longer commute
New York, NY 10040 57%2,567$65,516$464,400$571 cheaper homes ($472K less) · 12 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11225 57%2,569$88,568$1,217,400$885 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($282K more) · larger
New York, NY 10035 56%2,568$45,121$665,800$540 cheaper homes ($270K less) · 9 min longer commute · less walkable
Sunnyside, NY 11104 56%2,569$80,709$610,100$631 cheaper homes ($326K less) · 11 min longer commute · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11213 56%2,570$65,127$1,094,700$625 pricier homes ($159K more) · larger · younger residents
Dorchester, MA 02125 55%2,693$82,953$657,100$553 cheaper homes ($279K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Roxbury, MA 02119 54%2,691$48,488$688,600$459 cheaper homes ($247K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Union City, NJ 07087 54%2,563$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($464K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02118 52%2,692$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($122K more) · younger residents

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.