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 Chester, PA 19013

Chester: median income $41,261, home value $83,700, $70/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Camden, NJ 08102 78%15$33,852$84,500$80 smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21223 77%78$45,840$110,600$58 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Camden, NJ 08104 76%15$38,170$93,100$158 smaller
Baltimore, MD 21205 75%75$43,176$96,100$131 smaller · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Buffalo, NY 14207 71%281$39,753$133,600$103 pricier homes ($50K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Milwaukee, WI 53204 70%685$45,934$124,300$105 pricier homes ($41K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Camden, NJ 08103 69%15$36,793$138,000$130 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Rochester, NY 14613 68%258$37,778$120,600$84 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Syracuse, NY 13204 65%225$45,351$113,000$106 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14211 65%277$36,300$106,400$99 more single-family homes · older homes
Rochester, NY 14621 65%258$35,383$90,700$100 more single-family homes
Cleveland, OH 44110 65%345$31,928$60,900$61 smaller · more single-family homes
Camden, NJ 08105 64%17$45,974$121,100$182 pricier homes ($37K more)
Baltimore, MD 21216 64%78$42,031$147,800$112 pricier homes ($64K more) · 11 min longer commute · older homes
Albany, NY 12206 63%212$41,548$162,300$112 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21213 63%74$51,344$155,000$114 pricier homes ($71K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Cleveland, OH 44102 63%352$42,714$113,400$126 pricier homes ($30K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Dayton, OH 45405 60%469$43,973$84,200$74 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21217 59%77$38,409$180,100$92 pricier homes ($96K more) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45214 59%492$27,852$100,500$93 smaller · more renters · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45204 58%493$31,236$95,400$121 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Milwaukee, WI 53210 57%688$48,217$174,400$100 pricier homes ($91K more) · more single-family homes
Syracuse, NY 13203 56%225$46,997$156,900$118 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · older residents
Syracuse, NY 13205 56%222$38,497$99,000$73 smaller · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Buffalo, NY 14210 56%274$54,197$129,800$116 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 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.