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 94158

San Francisco: median income $196,506, home value $1,429,600, $1,237/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boston, MA 02210 79%2,692$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
New York, NY 10007 73%2,564$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($53K more) · pricier homes ($570K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10069 68%2,564$233,636$2M+*$1,385 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($570K more) · smaller
New York, NY 10280 68%2,564$206,299$976,300$1,104 cheaper homes ($453K less) · older residents · older homes
Washington, DC 20003 64%2,436$159,846$957,700$625 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($472K less) · larger
New York, NY 10282 63%2,564$250,000+*$2M+*$1,209 higher income ($53K more) · pricier homes ($570K more) · smaller
Jersey City, NJ 07302 62%2,562$175,077$865,100$888 cheaper homes ($565K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
New York, NY 10018 61%2,564$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($385K less) · more renters
Cambridge, MA 02142 57%2,690$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 lower income ($49K less) · pricier homes ($525K more) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98004 57%680$182,545$2M+*$915 pricier homes ($570K more) · larger · older residents
Austin, TX 78701 56%1,498$162,168$722,400$705 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($707K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98121 56%680$152,019$848,400$575 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($581K less) · larger
Long Island City, NY 11109 55%2,566$204,885$525,300— cheaper homes ($904K less) · more renters
Seattle, WA 98109 55%682$133,663$1,034,100$649 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($396K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98107 52%684$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($476K less) · larger
Hoboken, NJ 07030 51%2,562$180,579$895,100$974 cheaper homes ($535K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Jersey City, NJ 07310 51%2,562$183,464$844,400$695 cheaper homes ($585K less) · 8 min longer commute · more renters
Cambridge, MA 02141 50%2,690$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($70K less) · cheaper homes ($562K less) · older homes
Arlington, VA 22201 50%2,431$145,000$781,600$625 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($648K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22314 50%2,434$148,451$899,000$624 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($531K less) · larger
Long Island City, NY 11101 49%2,567$121,062$971,300$1,596 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($458K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33131 49%2,589$144,138$655,100$622 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($775K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11249 48%2,568$123,047$1,478,400$1,804 lower income ($73K less) · pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Arlington, VA 22203 48%2,430$140,135$826,800$511 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($603K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20001 47%2,434$138,059$852,600$552 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($577K less) · larger

* 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.