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 94127

San Francisco: median income $214,167, home value $1,847,400, $1,205/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newton Center, MA 02459 72%2,690$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($397K less)
Larchmont, NY 10538 71%2,578$207,969$1,266,600$807 cheaper homes ($581K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Manhasset, NY 11030 70%2,584$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($81K less) · 10 min longer commute · newer homes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 68%2,689$224,000$1,255,400$684 cheaper homes ($592K less) · smaller
Garden City, NY 11530 68%2,587$228,143$994,300$733 cheaper homes ($853K less) · younger residents · newer homes
West Newton, MA 02465 65%2,688$194,265$1,159,200$619 cheaper homes ($688K less) · smaller · more renters
Riverside, CT 06878 63%2,586$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller
Rye, NY 10580 63%2,581$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($60K more) · 9 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20015 63%2,435$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($602K less)
Winchester, MA 01890 62%2,690$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($632K less) · newer homes
Pelham, NY 10803 62%2,576$215,208$978,600$646 cheaper homes ($869K less) · smaller · younger residents
Arlington, VA 22205 61%2,433$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($755K less) · newer homes
Milton, MA 02186 60%2,696$188,033$933,200$547 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($914K less) · younger residents
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 60%2,587$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 60%2,559$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($956K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Sea Cliff, NY 11579 60%2,585$193,590$986,900$668 cheaper homes ($861K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98117 60%688$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($804K less) · larger
Marblehead, MA 01945 59%2,704$179,583$942,200$536 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($905K less)
Wellesley, MA 02482 59%2,685$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($495K less) · smaller · less walkable
Scarsdale, NY 10583 59%2,575$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($664K less) · larger
Summit, NJ 07901 58%2,550$179,701$987,900$715 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($860K less) · younger residents
Great Neck, NY 11020 56%2,582$167,148$1,132,200$750 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($715K less) · smaller
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 56%2,586$182,674$988,300$581 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($859K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98177 56%692$169,918$1,048,900$544 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($799K less) · newer homes
Darien, CT 06820 55%2,590$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($25K 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.