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 Norwich, CT 06360

Norwich: median income $65,539, home value $245,700, $203/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milwaukee, WI 53221 95%816$63,265$219,600$203 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Milwaukee, WI 53220 93%818$69,319$229,300$213 Very close on everything we compare
Chicopee, MA 01013 91%50$59,759$271,900$234 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Chicopee, MA 01020 91%51$66,009$280,900$244 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents
Lewiston, ME 04240 91%201$55,393$235,100$196 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, PA 19007 91%175$65,511$290,300$256 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 91%288$67,060$260,300$187 6 min longer commute
Kenosha, WI 53140 91%810$58,006$206,700$190 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Milwaukee, WI 53227 91%821$73,321$225,900$218 smaller
Fitchburg, MA 01420 90%73$72,780$335,300$246 pricier homes ($90K more)
Harrisburg, PA 17109 90%262$71,833$215,900$163 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Columbia, PA 17512 90%252$66,684$245,200$169 smaller
Whitehall, PA 18052 90%188$75,665$262,900$201 Very close on everything we compare
Allentown, PA 18103 90%188$72,895$272,700$193 pricier homes ($27K more)
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 90%211$82,005$252,400$217 smaller
Essex, MD 21221 90%277$67,340$271,500$187 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min longer commute
Dundalk, MD 21222 90%280$64,141$215,900$179 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Norfolk, VA 23503 90%388$67,649$293,100$223 pricier homes ($47K more)
Cudahy, WI 53110 90%812$66,719$216,500$203 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53223 90%819$60,839$203,100$156 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Melrose Park, IL 60160 90%813$66,189$275,800$230 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Trenton, NJ 08638 89%166$66,875$245,100$257 smaller
Cohoes, NY 12047 89%119$66,071$246,800$226 smaller
Schenectady, NY 12304 89%127$69,235$179,200$226 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Norfolk, VA 23502 89%392$63,208$266,200$209 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.