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 Bridgeport, CT 06606

Bridgeport: median income $73,372, home value $289,000, $271/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fitchburg, MA 01420 95%119$72,780$335,300$246 pricier homes ($46K more)
Bristol, PA 19007 95%115$65,511$290,300$256 smaller
New Bedford, MA 02745 91%122$74,034$368,600$316 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller
West Warwick, RI 02893 91%94$77,608$330,800$268 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 91%227$67,060$260,300$187 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Melrose Park, IL 60160 91%758$66,189$275,800$230 smaller
Gardner, MA 01440 90%113$67,440$303,500$232 smaller
Taunton, MA 02780 90%119$74,471$413,900$326 pricier homes ($125K more)
Whitehall, PA 18052 90%126$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Halethorpe, MD 21227 90%229$85,986$289,400$209 Very close on everything we compare
Pompano Beach, FL 33064 90%1,104$71,301$320,100$328 pricier homes ($31K more) · newer homes
Trenton, NJ 08638 89%105$66,875$245,100$257 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Allentown, PA 18103 89%125$72,895$272,700$193 Very close on everything we compare
Essex, MD 21221 89%216$67,340$271,500$187 Very close on everything we compare
Norfolk, VA 23503 89%337$67,649$293,100$223 smaller
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 89%1,112$77,321$337,700$281 pricier homes ($49K more) · newer homes
Brockton, MA 02301 88%127$74,214$449,400$321 pricier homes ($160K more)
Newburgh, NY 12550 88%49$85,697$340,900$244 pricier homes ($52K more) · less walkable
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 88%151$82,005$252,400$217 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Webster, MA 01570 87%91$72,895$361,500$279 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller
Providence, RI 02904 87%102$67,003$339,900$249 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · newer homes
Pottstown, PA 19464 87%142$79,787$264,400$197 Very close on everything we compare
Glen Burnie, MD 21061 87%229$87,751$339,100$236 pricier homes ($50K more) · newer homes
Haverhill, MA 01830 86%155$78,571$467,000$311 pricier homes ($178K more) · smaller
Dover, NJ 07801 86%73$84,517$392,400$366 pricier homes ($103K 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.