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 San Francisco, CA 94105

San Francisco: median income $225,000, home value $1,398,000, $1,200/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02210 82%2,692$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10007 81%2,564$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($602K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10069 76%2,564$233,636$2M+*$1,385 pricier homes ($602K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10280 75%2,563$206,299$976,300$1,104 cheaper homes ($422K less) · smaller · older residents
New York, NY 10282 72%2,563$250,000+*$2M+*$1,209 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($602K more) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98004 69%679$182,545$2M+*$915 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($602K more) · larger
Washington, DC 20003 66%2,436$159,846$957,700$625 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($440K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78701 62%1,498$162,168$722,400$705 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($676K less) · older residents
New York, NY 10018 58%2,564$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 lower income ($79K less) · cheaper homes ($353K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98121 58%679$152,019$848,400$575 lower income ($73K less) · cheaper homes ($550K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02142 55%2,690$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 lower income ($77K less) · pricier homes ($557K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98109 55%680$133,663$1,034,100$649 lower income ($91K less) · cheaper homes ($364K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07302 54%2,562$175,077$865,100$888 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($533K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33131 53%2,590$144,138$655,100$622 lower income ($81K less) · cheaper homes ($743K less) · larger
Long Island City, NY 11109 52%2,566$204,885$525,300— cheaper homes ($873K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22201 50%2,430$145,000$781,600$625 lower income ($80K less) · cheaper homes ($616K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98107 50%683$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($82K less) · cheaper homes ($445K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22314 48%2,434$148,451$899,000$624 lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($499K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22203 47%2,430$140,135$826,800$511 lower income ($85K less) · cheaper homes ($571K less) · larger
Hoboken, NJ 07030 46%2,562$180,579$895,100$974 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($503K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07310 45%2,562$183,464$844,400$695 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($554K less) · 14 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98101 45%679$128,882$784,200$657 lower income ($96K less) · cheaper homes ($614K less) · more renters
Cambridge, MA 02141 44%2,690$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($98K less) · cheaper homes ($530K less) · older homes
Washington, DC 20001 44%2,434$138,059$852,600$552 lower income ($87K less) · cheaper homes ($545K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20004 42%2,434$184,792$689,600$528 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($708K 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.