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 94110

San Francisco: median income $158,351, home value $1,450,400, $1,059/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooklyn, NY 11231 78%2,567$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 pricier homes ($161K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11217 77%2,568$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 pricier homes ($186K more) · smaller · more renters
Charlestown, MA 02129 76%2,693$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($538K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02127 75%2,695$164,387$863,700$828 cheaper homes ($587K less) · smaller · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 71%2,690$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($462K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 69%2,691$131,551$822,300$642 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($628K less) · smaller
Brookline, MA 02446 69%2,690$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($269K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10024 69%2,567$181,560$1,687,800$1,481 pricier homes ($237K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Brooklyn, NY 11201 69%2,567$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($340K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Boston, MA 02116 68%2,693$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 68%2,689$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($301K less) · smaller · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02143 68%2,691$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($524K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02139 67%2,691$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($363K less) · smaller · younger residents
New York, NY 10025 67%2,567$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($344K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Brookline, MA 02445 66%2,690$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($223K less) · smaller · younger residents
New York, NY 10013 66%2,566$161,154$2M+*$2,091 pricier homes ($550K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Brooklyn, NY 11215 66%2,568$185,865$1,622,300$1,440 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($172K more) · 8 min longer commute
Somerville, MA 02145 65%2,691$123,755$828,600$598 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($622K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11238 64%2,569$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 cheaper homes ($351K less) · 8 min longer commute · more renters
Boston, MA 02118 63%2,693$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($392K less) · smaller
Watertown, MA 02472 63%2,687$126,336$784,600$507 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($666K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10011 63%2,566$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 cheaper homes ($269K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10128 63%2,568$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 more apartments and townhomes · less walkable · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11222 63%2,569$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10023 62%2,566$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 cheaper homes ($92K less) · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable

* 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.