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 Trenton, NJ 08609

Trenton: median income $68,238, home value $103,700, $205/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Britain, CT 06051 68%143$51,022$211,500$177 pricier homes ($108K more) · larger
Wilmington, DE 19801 65%54$52,810$199,900$143 pricier homes ($96K more)
Crum Lynne, PA 19022 63%40$48,969$134,600$129 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Bridgeport, CT 06608 61%105$45,754$235,800$175 pricier homes ($132K more)
Baltimore, MD 21205 61%117$43,176$96,100$131 lower income ($25K less) · older homes
Milwaukee, WI 53225 61%714$56,545$188,400$163 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Hartford, CT 06106 60%150$46,304$214,200$187 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · older homes
Hartford, CT 06114 60%150$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · older homes
Harrisburg, PA 17104 60%112$46,510$104,800$104 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Upper Darby, PA 19082 60%33$57,108$169,900$172 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19802 60%53$53,812$194,600$169 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger · more homeowners
Allentown, PA 18109 59%47$58,031$198,800$195 pricier homes ($95K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Norristown, PA 19401 59%32$69,908$234,000$201 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · more homeowners
Waterbury, CT 06706 57%127$52,242$210,700$188 pricier homes ($107K more) · more single-family homes
Allentown, PA 18102 57%47$43,085$163,400$147 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Troy, NY 12183 56%182$59,406$138,300$110 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · older homes
Albany, NY 12202 56%174$52,868$166,000$118 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · older homes
Hartford, CT 06112 55%152$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($104K more) · more single-family homes
Sharon Hill, PA 19079 55%36$67,454$167,800$163 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Reading, PA 19604 55%62$52,905$119,000$133 larger · more homeowners · less walkable
North Chicago, IL 60064 55%696$49,195$152,200$156 pricier homes ($49K more) · more single-family homes
Dallas, TX 75203 55%1,326$46,989$159,900$185 pricier homes ($56K more) · more single-family homes
Bridgeport, CT 06607 54%106$50,000$232,700$191 pricier homes ($129K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Darby, PA 19023 54%35$46,463$153,300$141 pricier homes ($50K more) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Indianapolis, IN 46224 54%610$55,986$181,600$147 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · 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.