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 Worcester, MA 01602

Worcester: median income $91,764, home value $417,300, $291/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dallas, TX 75208 91%1,512$81,950$438,400$281 Very close on everything we compare
Haledon, NJ 07508 90%152$95,806$473,700$344 pricier homes ($56K more)
North Providence, RI 02911 89%34$89,456$360,200$251 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Willow Grove, PA 19090 89%225$99,928$369,100$256 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Englewood, CO 80110 89%1,729$85,900$497,300$284 pricier homes ($80K more) · newer homes
Portland, OR 97218 89%2,494$88,924$496,600$316 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller
Bristol, RI 02809 88%50$97,764$485,000$387 pricier homes ($68K more) · newer homes
Warwick, RI 02886 88%44$92,047$366,400$285 cheaper homes ($51K less) · newer homes
Roselle Park, NJ 07204 88%168$109,679$443,200$389 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 88%151$101,740$483,700$369 pricier homes ($66K more)
Minneapolis, MN 55423 88%1,084$85,182$343,900$217 cheaper homes ($73K less)
West Hartford, CT 06110 87%59$87,539$285,200$291 cheaper homes ($132K less) · smaller
Oaklyn, NJ 08107 87%235$80,833$300,500$259 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller
Columbus, OH 43209 87%599$89,713$392,500$256 6 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60656 87%820$95,766$348,700$275 cheaper homes ($69K less) · newer homes
Stratford, CT 06615 86%101$81,534$364,700$306 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Hawthorne, NJ 07506 86%150$110,237$533,700$383 pricier homes ($116K more)
Charleston, SC 29407 86%792$85,367$451,800$356 pricier homes ($35K more) · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55418 86%1,083$99,397$348,700$232 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Nashua, NH 03064 85%40$96,393$423,200$284 smaller · less walkable
Portland, ME 04103 85%126$89,796$459,500$356 pricier homes ($42K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Little Falls, NJ 07424 85%156$105,050$487,600$384 pricier homes ($70K more)
Collingswood, NJ 08108 85%234$108,151$395,300$332 Very close on everything we compare
Trenton, NJ 08619 85%204$105,946$352,500$300 cheaper homes ($65K less) · newer homes
Bound Brook, NJ 08805 85%183$93,341$417,800$331 smaller

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.