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 Providence, RI 02908

Providence: median income $73,081, home value $324,100, $240/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Worcester, MA 01603 95%35$66,049$331,300$257 smaller
Worcester, MA 01604 89%34$73,505$352,500$271 pricier homes ($28K more) · newer homes
Lowell, MA 01850 89%57$69,780$390,800$313 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Easton, PA 18042 89%213$77,556$230,200$186 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Fitchburg, MA 01420 88%55$72,780$335,300$246 less walkable
Plainfield, NJ 07060 85%176$78,602$393,800$348 pricier homes ($70K more)
Chicago, IL 60659 85%836$68,704$371,800$230 pricier homes ($48K more)
Lowell, MA 01851 84%55$92,401$467,000$324 pricier homes ($143K more)
Lowell, MA 01852 84%55$80,906$424,300$328 pricier homes ($100K more) · newer homes
Fall River, MA 02720 84%17$62,196$398,000$253 pricier homes ($74K more) · older residents
New Bedford, MA 02740 84%29$55,237$345,800$259 Very close on everything we compare
New London, CT 06320 84%48$59,170$253,300$223 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Wilmington, DE 19805 84%261$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60608 84%834$73,366$358,600$300 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
West Haven, CT 06516 83%88$74,382$291,700$246 cheaper homes ($32K less) · newer homes
Paterson, NJ 07504 83%154$76,659$381,600$294 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Norristown, PA 19401 83%235$69,908$234,000$201 cheaper homes ($90K less) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60609 83%834$58,896$268,300$213 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Chicopee, MA 01013 82%64$59,759$271,900$234 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · older residents
Clifton, NJ 07011 82%155$74,194$428,900$426 pricier homes ($105K more) · older residents
Bethlehem, PA 18018 82%222$75,417$250,900$195 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older residents
Bristol, PA 19007 81%214$65,511$290,300$256 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · newer homes
Melrose Park, IL 60160 81%844$66,189$275,800$230 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01607 80%33$78,727$377,200$253 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · less walkable
Lawrence, MA 01843 80%61$67,585$429,100$334 pricier homes ($105K more) · more renters · 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.