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 94117

San Francisco: median income $167,066, home value $1,601,100, $1,255/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooklyn, NY 11217 94%2,569$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 pricier homes ($35K more)
Brooklyn, NY 11231 85%2,568$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 lower income ($27K less)
Boston, MA 02116 83%2,693$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10013 83%2,567$161,154$2M+*$2,091 pricier homes ($399K more)
Brooklyn, NY 11201 83%2,568$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($490K less) · larger · newer homes
New York, NY 10024 82%2,567$181,560$1,687,800$1,481 pricier homes ($87K more) · larger · older residents
Brookline, MA 02446 81%2,691$131,963$1,181,500$843 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($420K less)
Cambridge, MA 02139 80%2,692$134,586$1,087,500$965 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($514K less) · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 80%2,690$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11215 80%2,569$185,865$1,622,300$1,440 larger · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
New York, NY 10014 79%2,567$176,395$1,284,100$2,268 cheaper homes ($317K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Somerville, MA 02144 78%2,690$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($612K less)
New York, NY 10005 78%2,567$190,233$1,390,600$1,144 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10003 77%2,568$154,262$1,123,200$1,776 cheaper homes ($478K less) · 8 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10028 77%2,569$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 older residents · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11238 77%2,570$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($501K less) · larger
New York, NY 10010 76%2,568$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($565K less) · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11222 76%2,570$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($225K less) · 6 min longer commute
Somerville, MA 02143 75%2,692$130,753$926,800$769 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($674K less)
New York, NY 10011 75%2,567$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 cheaper homes ($420K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10023 74%2,567$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 cheaper homes ($243K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10065 74%2,568$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 cheaper homes ($181K less) · less walkable · newer homes
New York, NY 10128 74%2,569$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 cheaper homes ($159K less) · larger · older residents
Charlestown, MA 02129 71%2,694$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($689K less) · smaller · more homeowners
New York, NY 10012 71%2,567$137,106$1,602,800$2,291 lower income ($30K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute

* 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.