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 94111

San Francisco: median income $152,697, home value $1,248,900, $944/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10044 66%2,566$103,347$1,034,100$967 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($215K less) · larger
New York, NY 10280 63%2,564$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($273K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02141 61%2,690$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($381K less) · larger
Weehawken, NJ 07086 59%2,563$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($360K less) · larger · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 52%2,687$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger · younger residents
Edgewater, NJ 07020 52%2,564$124,050$715,700$525 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($533K less) · larger
New York, NY 10018 52%2,564$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10019 52%2,565$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 cheaper homes ($188K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10038 52%2,564$105,419$921,900$1,006 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($327K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98102 52%679$114,925$963,200$617 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02114 51%2,691$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($325K less) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02109 50%2,691$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($291K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22314 50%2,434$148,451$899,000$624 cheaper homes ($350K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98101 50%678$128,882$784,200$657 cheaper homes ($465K less) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02111 49%2,691$87,404$1,033,500$1,037 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($215K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20005 49%2,434$116,724$640,600$605 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($608K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22209 48%2,432$120,515$820,000$602 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($429K less) · larger
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 48%2,581$124,812$884,800$542 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($364K less) · larger
New York, NY 10036 47%2,564$95,638$952,900$1,304 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($296K less) · larger
New York, NY 10128 47%2,566$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 pricier homes ($193K more) · larger · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98119 47%680$123,551$1,047,600$594 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($201K less) · larger
New York, NY 10021 46%2,566$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · more homeowners
Arlington, VA 22203 46%2,430$140,135$826,800$511 cheaper homes ($422K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10016 45%2,565$140,381$905,000$1,232 cheaper homes ($344K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10282 45%2,564$250,000+*$2M+*$1,209 higher income ($97K more) · pricier homes ($751K more) · younger residents

* 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.