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 94114

San Francisco: median income $204,134, home value $1,737,300, $1,280/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10024 84%2,567$181,560$1,687,800$1,481 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Brooklyn, NY 11215 81%2,569$185,865$1,622,300$1,440 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
New York, NY 10028 75%2,569$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($135K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Brooklyn, NY 11217 73%2,569$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($101K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10013 69%2,567$161,154$2M+*$2,091 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($263K more) · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10023 69%2,567$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($379K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11201 69%2,568$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($627K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11231 67%2,568$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($126K less) · more renters
New York, NY 10014 66%2,567$176,395$1,284,100$2,268 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($453K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Charlestown, MA 02129 65%2,694$157,247$912,000$948 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($825K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10021 65%2,568$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($360K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Brookline, MA 02445 64%2,691$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($510K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10065 64%2,568$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($318K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Brookline, MA 02446 62%2,691$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($556K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10011 62%2,567$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($556K less) · 8 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10022 62%2,568$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($629K less) · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10075 62%2,567$155,902$991,900$1,342 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($745K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20007 62%2,434$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($445K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 61%2,690$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($69K less) · cheaper homes ($588K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10128 61%2,569$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($295K less) · larger
Boston, MA 02108 60%2,694$212,928$1,667,600$1,406 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boston, MA 02127 59%2,695$164,387$863,700$828 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($874K less) · younger residents
Somerville, MA 02144 59%2,690$150,313$988,800$713 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($749K less) · younger residents
Boston, MA 02116 58%2,693$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10004 57%2,567$250,000+*$1,477,700$1,175 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($260K 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.