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 19133

Philadelphia: median income $31,034, home value $89,500, $73/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chicago, IL 60621 76%664$31,905$153,500$94 pricier homes ($64K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21223 74%94$45,840$110,600$58 Very close on everything we compare
Camden, NJ 08103 71%4$36,793$138,000$130 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21216 71%94$42,031$147,800$112 pricier homes ($58K more)
Baltimore, MD 21205 69%90$43,176$96,100$131 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21217 67%93$38,409$180,100$92 pricier homes ($91K more) · more renters
Cleveland, OH 44104 63%355$24,111$69,300$69 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Camden, NJ 08102 62%3$33,852$84,500$80 smaller · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44103 62%356$27,047$80,500$47 smaller · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Milwaukee, WI 53206 62%694$29,336$83,400$59 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Rochester, NY 14613 61%255$37,778$120,600$84 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · younger residents
Cleveland, OH 44110 60%353$31,928$60,900$61 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Cleveland, OH 44112 59%353$28,799$81,300$71 older residents · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Saint Louis, MO 63107 58%810$43,625$64,400$49 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Camden, NJ 08104 57%5$38,170$93,100$158 younger residents · 11 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21213 57%90$51,344$155,000$114 pricier homes ($66K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44108 56%355$34,745$67,700$67 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60624 56%669$34,030$230,700$136 pricier homes ($141K more) · more renters
Cincinnati, OH 45214 54%505$27,852$100,500$93 smaller · younger residents · 12 min shorter commute
Detroit, MI 48214 54%440$33,544$147,300$113 pricier homes ($58K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Buffalo, NY 14211 53%277$36,300$106,400$99 younger residents · 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Detroit, MI 48238 53%448$33,315$64,800$46 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Rockford, IL 61104 53%741$33,772$90,100$100 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · less walkable
Buffalo, NY 14207 51%282$39,753$133,600$103 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents · 14 min shorter commute
Cincinnati, OH 45204 51%506$31,236$95,400$121 smaller · younger residents · 8 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.