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 Darby, PA 19023

Darby: median income $46,463, home value $153,300, $141/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21216 90%86$42,031$147,800$112 older homes
Baltimore, MD 21213 86%81$51,344$155,000$114 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Trenton, NJ 08611 83%35$56,788$160,500$181 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21229 80%87$60,047$201,300$147 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Baltimore, MD 21215 79%85$51,587$201,200$132 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · older residents
Bridgeport, CT 06610 78%141$51,634$228,300$219 pricier homes ($75K more) · older residents
Brooklyn, MD 21225 77%86$54,020$229,000$187 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60623 76%663$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · older homes
Camden, NJ 08103 75%8$36,793$138,000$130 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21205 74%82$43,176$96,100$131 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Wilmington, DE 19802 73%18$53,812$194,600$169 pricier homes ($41K more) · 12 min shorter commute
Waterbury, CT 06704 72%164$48,718$192,000$205 pricier homes ($39K more) · more single-family homes
Blue Island, IL 60406 72%660$56,557$175,200$138 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
Camden, NJ 08105 71%10$45,974$121,100$182 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 12 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60644 71%666$40,950$239,000$149 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger · more renters
Hartford, CT 06112 70%187$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($55K more) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Hartford, CT 06114 70%185$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($80K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06604 70%139$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($114K more) · more renters
Chicago, IL 60651 69%665$54,409$269,900$199 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger · older homes
Baltimore, MD 21217 68%84$38,409$180,100$92 pricier homes ($27K more) · more renters · older homes
Baltimore, MD 21239 68%80$62,650$207,400$164 pricier homes ($54K more) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Chicago, IL 60619 68%657$45,206$219,600$133 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · older residents
Chicago, IL 60620 68%659$48,146$197,700$134 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Riverdale, IL 60827 68%657$37,217$153,500$135 more renters · more single-family homes
Bridgeport, CT 06607 67%141$50,000$232,700$191 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller · younger residents

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.