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 19128

Philadelphia: median income $93,173, home value $353,500, $256/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Falls Church, VA 22041 90%131$92,636$452,300$311 pricier homes ($99K more) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60645 88%664$76,045$328,200$224 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Towson, MD 21286 87%84$93,808$430,100$216 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Evanston, IL 60202 86%663$98,989$397,600$300 pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents
Baltimore, MD 21212 85%87$96,685$373,700$254 more single-family homes · older homes
Baltimore, MD 21230 84%92$91,842$330,100$234 older homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10552 83%95$96,717$363,100$337 smaller · older residents
Baltimore, MD 21224 82%88$89,017$295,200$207 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older homes
Edison, NJ 08837 81%58$102,605$437,900$389 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21209 81%90$91,437$440,800$215 pricier homes ($87K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Montgomery Village, MD 20886 80%120$98,542$386,500$236 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Forest Park, IL 60130 80%668$77,221$304,700$244 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22304 78%132$101,600$508,200$320 pricier homes ($155K more) · more renters · newer homes
Skokie, IL 60077 78%667$78,523$355,900$277 older residents · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60616 78%659$73,819$387,200$318 pricier homes ($34K more) · more renters
Laurel, MD 20707 77%109$107,706$423,400$250 pricier homes ($70K more) · newer homes
Greenbelt, MD 20770 77%114$84,096$255,200$227 cheaper homes ($98K less) · more renters · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60659 77%665$68,704$371,800$230 older homes
Washington, DC 20017 76%121$106,300$702,600$370 pricier homes ($349K more) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22312 76%133$109,272$604,200$325 pricier homes ($251K more) · newer homes
Des Plaines, IL 60016 76%674$86,571$320,400$241 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60656 75%672$95,766$348,700$275 older residents · more single-family homes
Peekskill, NY 10566 74%110$85,954$395,600$330 pricier homes ($42K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Wheeling, IL 60090 74%677$85,355$264,800$228 cheaper homes ($89K less) · newer homes
Aurora, CO 80014 74%1,564$73,210$416,200$212 pricier homes ($63K more) · newer 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.