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 Meriden, CT 06450

Meriden: median income $71,250, home value $242,600, $211/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milwaukee, WI 53220 95%782$69,319$229,300$213 Very close on everything we compare
Whitehall, PA 18052 94%153$75,665$262,900$201 Very close on everything we compare
Allentown, PA 18103 94%153$72,895$272,700$193 pricier homes ($30K more)
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 94%181$82,005$252,400$217 smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53221 94%780$63,265$219,600$203 Very close on everything we compare
Carlisle, PA 17013 93%246$71,042$233,300$179 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55429 93%1,058$72,253$280,900$179 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents
Chicopee, MA 01020 92%46$66,009$280,900$244 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents
Cudahy, WI 53110 92%776$66,719$216,500$203 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55421 92%1,054$70,772$277,300$195 pricier homes ($35K more)
Middletown, PA 17057 91%225$73,407$201,600$168 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
York, PA 17404 91%233$78,506$195,800$163 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Columbia, PA 17512 91%219$66,684$245,200$169 smaller
Pottstown, PA 19464 91%171$79,787$264,400$197 6 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55428 91%1,060$74,860$299,500$188 pricier homes ($57K more)
Minneapolis, MN 55432 91%1,054$79,520$301,800$187 pricier homes ($59K more)
Joliet, IL 60435 91%792$76,369$235,500$184 more single-family homes
West Springfield, MA 01089 90%41$69,371$321,500$249 pricier homes ($79K more)
Schenectady, NY 12304 90%103$69,235$179,200$226 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Harrisburg, PA 17109 90%227$71,833$215,900$163 cheaper homes ($27K less)
York, PA 17403 90%232$75,384$220,500$147 Very close on everything we compare
Newark, DE 19713 90%200$76,493$292,600$215 pricier homes ($50K more)
New Castle, DE 19720 90%201$75,403$265,000$203 larger
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 90%257$67,060$260,300$187 8 min longer commute
Newport News, VA 23601 90%366$71,279$243,800$204 more single-family 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.