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.

Reset

Towns most like Philadelphia, PA 19111

Philadelphia: median income $61,138, home value $253,700, $218/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21229 87%101$60,047$201,300$147 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Washington, DC 20019 81%128$58,296$456,800$252 pricier homes ($203K more) · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06604 80%125$50,026$267,100$210 smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21206 80%92$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21239 80%94$62,650$207,400$164 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33179 80%1,018$65,211$286,200$215 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60609 80%667$58,896$268,300$213 more renters · older homes
Chicago, IL 60639 80%673$61,089$309,900$241 pricier homes ($56K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Chicago, IL 60651 80%672$54,409$269,900$199 more single-family homes · older homes
Bridgeport, CT 06610 79%128$51,634$228,300$219 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
East Orange, NJ 07017 79%67$58,853$374,800$252 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller · more renters
Brooklyn, MD 21225 79%100$54,020$229,000$187 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Woonsocket, RI 02895 78%228$61,059$311,000$228 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Irvington, NJ 07111 77%64$61,609$335,600$287 pricier homes ($82K more) · more renters
Wilmington, DE 19805 77%34$60,221$237,100$204 smaller · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21215 77%98$51,587$201,200$132 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60632 76%669$64,809$252,600$219 more single-family homes · older homes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 75%230$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($82K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Newark, NJ 07106 75%65$53,440$355,400$243 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · more renters
Chicago, IL 60623 75%670$51,878$237,200$151 more renters · older homes
Chicago, IL 60645 75%670$76,045$328,200$224 pricier homes ($75K more)
Newark, NJ 07112 74%64$58,200$336,500$193 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · more renters
Chicago, IL 60659 74%671$68,704$371,800$230 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Providence, RI 02909 73%225$64,649$325,300$250 pricier homes ($72K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Trenton, NJ 08611 73%21$56,788$160,500$181 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.