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 Linwood, NJ 08221

Linwood: median income $156,354, home value $394,700, $280/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
White Rock, NM 87547 89%1,739$156,444$505,900$332 pricier homes ($111K more)
Bay Village, OH 44140 86%414$132,254$353,000$270 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Longmeadow, MA 01106 84%215$147,935$452,100$258 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · less walkable
Wilmington, DE 19803 83%60$135,218$457,200$245 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · less walkable
Elm Grove, WI 53122 82%746$157,962$514,800$268 pricier homes ($120K more)
Albany, NY 12211 79%236$156,605$398,500$279 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Middlebury, CT 06762 78%170$133,487$476,400$253 pricier homes ($82K more) · less walkable
Minnetonka, MN 55345 78%1,039$145,332$504,000$227 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · less walkable
Springfield, PA 19064 77%57$136,893$414,500$286 larger · older homes
West Hartford, CT 06117 76%194$171,707$472,300$271 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · more renters
Brookfield, WI 53005 75%747$126,739$415,800$239 lower income ($30K less) · larger · less walkable
Littleton, CO 80121 75%1,612$142,056$707,900$311 pricier homes ($313K more) · larger · less walkable
Unionville, CT 06085 74%188$141,023$413,600$263 younger residents · more renters · less walkable
Broomall, PA 19008 74%60$119,698$500,300$274 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($106K more) · larger
Springfield, VA 22151 74%146$156,015$655,800$350 pricier homes ($261K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Evanston, IL 60203 74%712$170,224$468,400$305 pricier homes ($74K more) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Hawthorne, NY 10532 73%128$141,157$697,600$477 pricier homes ($303K more) · older homes
Oreland, PA 19075 73%62$120,813$431,300$252 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($37K more) · less walkable
Leawood, KS 66206 72%1,072$174,394$672,100$289 pricier homes ($277K more) · larger · less walkable
Sandy, UT 84093 72%1,960$138,556$698,900$270 pricier homes ($304K more) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85028 72%2,102$125,054$642,200$365 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($248K more) · larger
Wethersfield, CT 06109 71%191$126,806$324,600$262 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Milford, CT 06461 71%153$133,221$424,700$299 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Orange, CT 06477 71%157$142,325$491,500$290 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · less walkable
Wallingford, PA 19086 71%56$148,920$446,400$246 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute

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.