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 19120

Philadelphia: median income $54,000, home value $155,500, $156/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21229 78%98$60,047$201,300$147 pricier homes ($46K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21213 72%92$51,344$155,000$114 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21216 72%96$42,031$147,800$112 smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21215 69%96$51,587$201,200$132 pricier homes ($46K more) · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60623 65%669$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($82K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60651 65%670$54,409$269,900$199 pricier homes ($114K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60632 62%668$64,809$252,600$219 pricier homes ($97K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Bridgeport, CT 06610 61%130$51,634$228,300$219 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Trenton, NJ 08611 61%24$56,788$160,500$181 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Brooklyn, MD 21225 60%97$54,020$229,000$187 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21239 60%91$62,650$207,400$164 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60617 60%659$51,778$180,700$139 pricier homes ($25K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Wilmington, DE 19805 58%32$60,221$237,100$204 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21206 58%90$64,531$216,100$166 pricier homes ($61K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60620 58%665$48,146$197,700$134 pricier homes ($42K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60639 58%671$61,089$309,900$241 pricier homes ($154K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60609 57%665$58,896$268,300$213 pricier homes ($113K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Dundalk, MD 21222 56%90$64,141$215,900$179 pricier homes ($60K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60619 54%662$45,206$219,600$133 pricier homes ($64K more) · older residents · more renters
Wilmington, DE 19802 53%29$53,812$194,600$169 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · 16 min shorter commute
Hometown, IL 60456 52%668$61,101$173,400$215 smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Waterbury, CT 06704 51%153$48,718$192,000$205 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Blue Island, IL 60406 51%665$56,557$175,200$138 smaller · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Cicero, IL 60804 51%671$70,842$249,400$200 pricier homes ($94K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06604 49%128$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller · 5 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.