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 94115

San Francisco: median income $151,524, home value $1,679,000, $1,386/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooklyn, NY 11217 91%2,568$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10013 87%2,566$161,154$2M+*$2,091 pricier homes ($321K more)
Brooklyn, NY 11231 87%2,567$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02116 85%2,693$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($117K less) · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10010 83%2,567$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($643K less)
New York, NY 10128 83%2,568$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 cheaper homes ($237K less) · larger · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11201 83%2,567$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($568K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02140 82%2,689$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($529K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10028 81%2,568$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10065 81%2,568$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 cheaper homes ($259K less) · less walkable
New York, NY 10023 79%2,567$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 cheaper homes ($321K less) · larger · older residents
Brooklyn, NY 11222 79%2,569$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($303K less) · 8 min longer commute
New York, NY 10024 78%2,567$181,560$1,687,800$1,481 higher income ($30K more) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10011 77%2,566$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 cheaper homes ($498K less)
New York, NY 10014 77%2,566$176,395$1,284,100$2,268 cheaper homes ($395K less)
Cambridge, MA 02139 75%2,691$134,586$1,087,500$965 cheaper homes ($592K less) · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 75%2,690$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($498K less) · more homeowners
New York, NY 10012 75%2,567$137,106$1,602,800$2,291 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Brooklyn, NY 11238 75%2,569$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 cheaper homes ($579K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
New York, NY 10019 74%2,567$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 cheaper homes ($618K less) · newer homes
New York, NY 10003 73%2,567$154,262$1,123,200$1,776 cheaper homes ($556K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10021 73%2,568$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 cheaper homes ($302K less) · older residents · more homeowners
New York, NY 10016 72%2,567$140,381$905,000$1,232 cheaper homes ($774K less) · larger · newer homes
Somerville, MA 02143 71%2,691$130,753$926,800$769 cheaper homes ($752K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10005 71%2,566$190,233$1,390,600$1,144 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($288K 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.