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 Philadelphia, PA 19104

Philadelphia: median income $38,814, home value $266,600, $187/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chicago, IL 60637 80%660$43,609$257,300$187 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Cleveland, OH 44106 73%352$43,170$255,700$144 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21201 72%89$45,640$275,300$178 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55404 72%981$41,940$291,600$223 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45219 71%499$35,657$207,900$164 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Saint Louis, MO 63103 67%807$40,943$202,900$124 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · older residents
New Haven, CT 06511 66%152$59,969$353,000$247 pricier homes ($86K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21202 64%88$59,377$271,800$203 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68131 64%1,090$48,925$227,200$161 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · older residents
Syracuse, NY 13210 63%218$41,738$173,600$148 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Buffalo, NY 14201 63%278$40,512$337,600$194 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · older residents
Worcester, MA 01610 62%237$51,472$308,700$187 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Hartford, CT 06105 62%181$41,937$402,300$157 pricier homes ($136K more) · smaller · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53212 62%691$47,298$216,300$145 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · older residents
Kansas City, MO 64106 59%1,032$52,564$238,000$173 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Hartford, CT 06106 58%180$46,304$214,200$187 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · older residents
Detroit, MI 48202 58%442$43,627$186,500$123 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · older residents
Denton, TX 76201 58%1,298$39,982$257,700$188 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Columbus, OH 43201 57%413$43,731$440,000$272 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Albany, NY 12206 55%201$41,548$162,300$112 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller · older residents
Schenectady, NY 12305 55%208$53,326$217,500$213 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63108 55%809$55,147$372,200$213 pricier homes ($106K more) · smaller · older residents
Worcester, MA 01605 54%240$54,642$392,100$270 pricier homes ($126K more) · smaller · older residents
New Haven, CT 06519 54%150$49,619$316,700$181 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · older residents
Rochester, NY 14607 54%253$59,787$350,100$171 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · older 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.