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 19131

Philadelphia: median income $48,393, home value $178,500, $137/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21213 83%86$51,344$155,000$114 smaller
Baltimore, MD 21216 83%90$42,031$147,800$112 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Wilmington, DE 19802 82%23$53,812$194,600$169 smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06604 81%135$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($89K more)
Trenton, NJ 08611 81%30$56,788$160,500$181 Very close on everything we compare
Baltimore, MD 21215 81%89$51,587$201,200$132 older residents · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21229 81%92$60,047$201,300$147 more homeowners
Wilmington, DE 19801 79%24$52,810$199,900$143 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21239 79%84$62,650$207,400$164 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60623 79%664$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21218 78%86$62,488$242,500$161 pricier homes ($64K more)
Chicago, IL 60637 78%658$43,609$257,300$187 pricier homes ($79K more) · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21217 77%88$38,409$180,100$92 older residents · more renters
Hartford, CT 06114 72%180$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60644 71%666$40,950$239,000$149 pricier homes ($61K more) · more renters
Trenton, NJ 08618 70%29$50,390$227,000$186 pricier homes ($49K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Brooklyn, MD 21225 70%91$54,020$229,000$187 pricier homes ($51K more) · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60649 70%656$44,175$213,200$84 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21205 69%86$43,176$96,100$131 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Atlantic City, NJ 08401 68%60$41,126$207,400$211 pricier homes ($29K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60609 68%660$58,896$268,300$213 pricier homes ($90K more) · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60624 68%665$34,030$230,700$136 pricier homes ($52K more) · more renters
Hartford, CT 06112 67%182$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Camden, NJ 08103 67%7$36,793$138,000$130 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Detroit, MI 48202 67%440$43,627$186,500$123 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · more renters

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.