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 19135

Philadelphia: median income $53,138, home value $196,600, $173/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21229 88%101$60,047$201,300$147 Very close on everything we compare
Brooklyn, MD 21225 79%100$54,020$229,000$187 pricier homes ($32K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06610 77%128$51,634$228,300$219 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older residents
Baltimore, MD 21213 77%95$51,344$155,000$114 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Baltimore, MD 21215 77%98$51,587$201,200$132 larger · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21216 76%99$42,031$147,800$112 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more renters · older homes
Chicago, IL 60651 76%674$54,409$269,900$199 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · more renters
Trenton, NJ 08611 75%21$56,788$160,500$181 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21239 75%94$62,650$207,400$164 8 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60623 74%672$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · more renters
Wilmington, DE 19805 73%34$60,221$237,100$204 pricier homes ($41K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21206 71%92$64,531$216,100$166 more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60609 70%669$58,896$268,300$213 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · more renters
Chicago, IL 60632 70%671$64,809$252,600$219 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Wilmington, DE 19802 69%32$53,812$194,600$169 13 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60639 68%675$61,089$309,900$241 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06604 67%126$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($71K more) · more renters
Waterbury, CT 06704 67%150$48,718$192,000$205 6 min shorter commute · more renters · more single-family homes
Dundalk, MD 21222 66%93$64,141$215,900$179 larger · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33313 65%1,004$46,305$256,100$169 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Blue Island, IL 60406 65%669$56,557$175,200$138 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Trenton, NJ 08618 64%20$50,390$227,000$186 pricier homes ($30K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more renters
Denver, CO 80260 64%1,579$61,852$223,200$233 pricier homes ($27K more) · newer homes
Hartford, CT 06114 63%171$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($36K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60620 63%668$48,146$197,700$134 larger · more renters · more single-family 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.