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 94131

San Francisco: median income $199,211, home value $1,713,300, $1,192/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06830 75%2,582$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($53K less) · less walkable
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 73%2,596$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22301 69%2,437$194,819$1,027,900$616 cheaper homes ($685K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20016 67%2,433$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($497K less) · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10021 66%2,569$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($336K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10028 66%2,569$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · more renters
Seattle, WA 98112 64%683$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($164K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98199 64%684$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($515K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Arlington, MA 02474 63%2,689$150,560$933,200$598 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($780K less) · older homes
Belmont, MA 02478 63%2,688$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($554K less) · older homes
New York, NY 10022 62%2,569$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($605K less) · older residents
Washington, DC 20007 62%2,434$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($421K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 62%682$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($194K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Newtonville, MA 02460 60%2,687$177,837$1,224,600$588 cheaper homes ($489K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Summit, NJ 07901 60%2,549$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($725K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
New York, NY 10065 60%2,569$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($294K less) · 5 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10075 60%2,567$155,902$991,900$1,342 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($721K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 60%2,433$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($419K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Auburndale, MA 02466 59%2,685$170,089$1,174,000$561 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10023 59%2,568$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($355K less) · larger
Harrison, NY 10528 59%2,579$154,416$937,500$598 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($776K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11201 59%2,568$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($603K less) · larger
Falls Church, VA 22046 59%2,429$168,882$1,014,700$476 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($699K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 58%2,690$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($564K less) · younger residents
Brookline, MA 02445 58%2,691$139,747$1,227,000$776 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($486K less) · younger residents

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.