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 94133

San Francisco: median income $87,191, home value $1,558,000, $1,196/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02118 74%2,691$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($500K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
New York, NY 10026 67%2,566$81,244$1,052,300$901 cheaper homes ($506K less) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11225 63%2,568$88,568$1,217,400$885 cheaper homes ($341K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10025 62%2,565$108,940$1,106,900$1,337 cheaper homes ($451K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10009 61%2,566$92,876$712,700$1,358 cheaper homes ($845K less) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11222 61%2,567$125,734$1,376,300$1,418 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11211 60%2,567$107,506$1,140,700$1,449 cheaper homes ($417K less) · larger · younger residents
Astoria, NY 11105 59%2,569$102,012$1,081,200$725 cheaper homes ($477K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10027 58%2,566$59,587$899,600$1,112 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($658K less) · larger
Astoria, NY 11103 57%2,569$93,324$1,002,200$728 cheaper homes ($556K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11231 57%2,565$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 higher income ($53K more) · pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11205 54%2,567$93,887$917,400$1,061 cheaper homes ($641K less) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02116 52%2,691$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 higher income ($39K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Brooklyn, NY 11216 52%2,568$101,277$1,293,700$938 cheaper homes ($264K less) · larger · younger residents
Astoria, NY 11102 51%2,568$96,617$719,200$1,126 cheaper homes ($839K less) · younger residents · 12 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11237 51%2,569$85,196$1,084,600$663 cheaper homes ($473K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10038 50%2,565$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($636K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11232 50%2,566$90,891$941,300$915 cheaper homes ($617K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11218 49%2,567$97,366$935,900$846 cheaper homes ($622K less) · larger · younger residents
Astoria, NY 11106 47%2,568$84,867$610,400$652 cheaper homes ($948K less) · larger · younger residents
Boston, MA 02128 46%2,693$90,106$668,000$646 cheaper homes ($890K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10033 46%2,566$75,040$695,000$628 cheaper homes ($863K less) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11217 46%2,566$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($76K more) · pricier homes ($79K more) · larger
Somerville, MA 02145 45%2,690$123,755$828,600$598 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($729K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10013 45%2,565$161,154$2M+*$2,091 higher income ($74K more) · pricier homes ($442K more) · 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.