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 Allentown, PA 18103

Allentown: median income $72,895, home value $272,700, $193/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55421 97%950$70,772$277,300$195 smaller
Meriden, CT 06450 94%153$71,250$242,600$211 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Milwaukee, WI 53220 94%665$69,319$229,300$213 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53221 94%663$63,265$219,600$203 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55428 94%957$74,860$299,500$188 pricier homes ($27K more)
Minneapolis, MN 55432 94%950$79,520$301,800$187 pricier homes ($29K more)
Joliet, IL 60435 94%662$76,369$235,500$184 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 93%110$67,060$260,300$187 5 min longer commute
South Milwaukee, WI 53172 93%658$73,427$235,700$216 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Bristol, CT 06010 92%152$79,314$277,900$229 less walkable
Waterbury, CT 06708 92%142$67,364$218,500$202 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
New Castle, DE 19720 92%70$75,403$265,000$203 Very close on everything we compare
Norfolk, VA 23518 92%257$77,594$300,700$238 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Lakeland, FL 33803 92%944$65,807$250,100$194 smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55117 92%942$70,771$280,500$178 younger residents
Minneapolis, MN 55429 92%955$72,253$280,900$179 smaller · younger residents
Halethorpe, MD 21227 91%114$85,986$289,400$209 Very close on everything we compare
Norfolk, VA 23513 91%259$68,380$234,000$200 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Cudahy, WI 53110 91%659$66,719$216,500$203 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53219 91%666$70,388$203,900$211 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55119 91%937$81,865$277,500$184 Very close on everything we compare
West Warwick, RI 02893 90%219$77,608$330,800$268 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Norwich, CT 06360 90%188$65,539$245,700$203 cheaper homes ($27K less)
West Haven, CT 06516 90%139$74,382$291,700$246 more renters
Trenton, NJ 08638 90%44$66,875$245,100$257 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 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.