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 Springfield, MA 01108

Springfield: median income $50,661, home value $250,900, $181/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hartford, CT 06114 90%25$52,110$232,800$158 Very close on everything we compare
Providence, RI 02907 89%62$52,485$349,200$213 pricier homes ($98K more)
New London, CT 06320 89%56$59,170$253,300$223 Very close on everything we compare
Trenton, NJ 08618 88%172$50,390$227,000$186 newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53208 87%786$52,690$204,500$125 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Waterbury, CT 06706 86%45$52,242$210,700$188 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Milwaukee, WI 53215 85%785$54,289$156,800$150 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger
Schenectady, NY 12308 84%86$63,434$211,900$159 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Troy, NY 12182 83%74$56,984$212,600$170 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older residents
Wilmington, DE 19805 83%226$60,221$237,100$204 larger · more homeowners
Saint Paul, MN 55130 83%1,044$54,130$236,000$170 smaller · newer homes
Hartford, CT 06112 82%22$44,460$208,000$144 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Buffalo, NY 14213 82%328$53,870$211,200$116 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Brooklyn, MD 21225 82%290$54,020$229,000$187 9 min longer commute · newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53210 82%786$48,217$174,400$100 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Willimantic, CT 06226 81%31$47,162$190,000$186 cheaper homes ($61K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55411 81%1,055$60,225$245,400$145 more single-family homes
Omaha, NE 68105 81%1,206$57,533$208,800$162 cheaper homes ($42K less) · newer homes
New Britain, CT 06051 80%31$51,022$211,500$177 cheaper homes ($39K less) · more renters · newer homes
Utica, NY 13501 80%153$52,548$157,500$106 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Fort Wayne, IN 46802 80%654$46,854$184,800$150 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · newer homes
Saint Paul, MN 55103 80%1,046$48,390$257,500$205 smaller · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63118 80%960$57,762$221,200$131 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Pawtucket, RI 02860 79%62$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
New Britain, CT 06053 79%30$62,645$220,800$214 cheaper homes ($30K less) · newer homes

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.