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 94121

San Francisco: median income $133,358, home value $1,611,400, $1,132/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooklyn, NY 11231 80%2,570$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 younger residents · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10025 71%2,570$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 cheaper homes ($505K less) · larger · more renters
Brooklyn, NY 11217 71%2,571$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents
New York, NY 10024 70%2,570$181,560$1,687,800$1,481 higher income ($48K more) · pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Charlestown, MA 02129 68%2,696$157,247$912,000$948 cheaper homes ($699K less) · smaller · younger residents
New York, NY 10128 67%2,571$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 cheaper homes ($169K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02116 66%2,695$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cambridge, MA 02140 66%2,692$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($462K less) · smaller · younger residents
New York, NY 10011 66%2,569$145,987$1,181,200$1,881 cheaper homes ($430K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 65%2,694$131,551$822,300$642 cheaper homes ($789K less) · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02445 65%2,693$139,747$1,227,000$776 cheaper homes ($384K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02446 65%2,693$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($430K less) · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 65%2,584$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · more homeowners
New York, NY 10021 65%2,571$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($234K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02118 64%2,696$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($553K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10013 64%2,569$161,154$2M+*$2,091 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($389K more) · smaller
Montclair, NJ 07042 63%2,557$122,847$821,700$590 cheaper homes ($790K less) · smaller · younger residents
New York, NY 10023 63%2,570$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($253K less) · larger
New York, NY 10028 63%2,571$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 higher income ($42K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Brooklyn, NY 11215 63%2,571$185,865$1,622,300$1,440 higher income ($53K more) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11238 63%2,572$134,523$1,099,700$1,306 cheaper homes ($512K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Somerville, MA 02144 62%2,693$150,313$988,800$713 cheaper homes ($623K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11222 62%2,572$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 cheaper homes ($235K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20007 62%2,436$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($319K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boston, MA 02127 61%2,698$164,387$863,700$828 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($748K less) · 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.