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 Pawtucket, RI 02861

Pawtucket: median income $83,411, home value $315,400, $252/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Trenton, NJ 08610 93%210$83,906$264,600$282 cheaper homes ($51K less)
New Bedford, MA 02745 90%25$74,034$368,600$316 pricier homes ($53K more)
Berwyn, IL 60402 90%844$77,718$294,600$219 larger
Merchantville, NJ 08109 88%234$90,242$252,000$222 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Pennsauken, NJ 08110 88%234$83,729$208,800$222 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 87%256$82,005$252,400$217 cheaper homes ($63K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Halethorpe, MD 21227 87%335$85,986$289,400$209 cheaper homes ($26K less) · less walkable
Des Plaines, IL 60018 86%847$90,574$318,100$272 newer homes
Fitchburg, MA 01420 85%53$72,780$335,300$246 more renters · less walkable
Bridgeport, CT 06606 85%106$73,372$289,000$271 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Hillside, NJ 07205 85%170$99,528$397,400$353 pricier homes ($82K more)
South Milwaukee, WI 53172 85%844$73,427$235,700$216 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55420 85%1,116$82,170$328,400$207 newer homes
Melrose Park, IL 60160 85%847$66,189$275,800$230 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Keansburg, NJ 07734 84%175$82,029$346,900$340 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Allentown, PA 18103 84%231$72,895$272,700$193 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · newer homes
Bristol, PA 19007 84%219$65,511$290,300$256 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Wilmington, DE 19804 84%268$79,701$264,100$219 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more single-family homes
Whitehall, PA 18052 83%231$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($53K less) · newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53219 83%850$70,388$203,900$211 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Schiller Park, IL 60176 83%848$69,696$275,000$219 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · newer homes
Lyons, IL 60534 83%846$70,890$257,300$224 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Elmwood Park, IL 60707 83%845$84,799$332,000$234 8 min longer commute
Stratford, CT 06615 82%104$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · older residents
Paterson, NJ 07502 82%161$76,790$375,300$381 pricier homes ($60K more) · 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.