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 19140

Philadelphia: median income $36,226, home value $107,300, $105/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21216 87%94$42,031$147,800$112 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Baltimore, MD 21213 77%90$51,344$155,000$114 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Camden, NJ 08103 73%6$36,793$138,000$130 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21205 73%91$43,176$96,100$131 smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21217 67%93$38,409$180,100$92 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21223 65%94$45,840$110,600$58 smaller · more renters
Chicago, IL 60621 65%663$31,905$153,500$94 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Camden, NJ 08104 61%7$38,170$93,100$158 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Chicago, IL 60624 61%668$34,030$230,700$136 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21215 60%94$51,587$201,200$132 pricier homes ($94K more) · newer homes
Camden, NJ 08105 58%5$45,974$121,100$182 smaller · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60623 58%668$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · more renters
Trenton, NJ 08611 57%26$56,788$160,500$181 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · more renters
Buffalo, NY 14211 57%276$36,300$106,400$99 smaller · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60644 57%670$40,950$239,000$149 pricier homes ($132K more) · more renters
Cleveland, OH 44102 56%360$42,714$113,400$126 8 min shorter commute · more renters · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14207 55%281$39,753$133,600$103 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Rochester, NY 14613 55%254$37,778$120,600$84 smaller · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Detroit, MI 48214 55%439$33,544$147,300$113 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · older residents
Baltimore, MD 21229 53%96$60,047$201,300$147 pricier homes ($94K more) · newer homes
Hartford, CT 06112 51%177$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($101K more) · smaller · younger residents
Waterbury, CT 06710 51%154$37,191$228,300$154 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller · more renters
Cleveland, OH 44108 51%354$34,745$67,700$67 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44109 51%357$42,872$122,200$124 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Milwaukee, WI 53215 51%693$54,289$156,800$150 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents · 10 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.