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 19141

Philadelphia: median income $43,998, home value $164,000, $145/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21213 93%91$51,344$155,000$114 Very close on everything we compare
Baltimore, MD 21216 91%95$42,031$147,800$112 younger residents
Baltimore, MD 21215 83%95$51,587$201,200$132 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Trenton, NJ 08611 81%25$56,788$160,500$181 younger residents
Camden, NJ 08103 80%7$36,793$138,000$130 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more renters
Chicago, IL 60623 80%667$51,878$237,200$151 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Baltimore, MD 21205 78%92$43,176$96,100$131 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21217 78%94$38,409$180,100$92 more renters
Wilmington, DE 19802 77%28$53,812$194,600$169 pricier homes ($31K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21229 77%97$60,047$201,300$147 pricier homes ($37K more)
Bridgeport, CT 06610 76%131$51,634$228,300$219 pricier homes ($64K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60644 76%670$40,950$239,000$149 pricier homes ($75K more) · more renters
Hartford, CT 06114 75%174$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60624 73%668$34,030$230,700$136 pricier homes ($67K more) · younger residents · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06604 71%129$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($103K more) · more renters
Brooklyn, MD 21225 70%96$54,020$229,000$187 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Waterbury, CT 06710 69%152$37,191$228,300$154 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · more renters
Chicago, IL 60619 68%661$45,206$219,600$133 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Chicago, IL 60651 68%669$54,409$269,900$199 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger · younger residents
Bridgeport, CT 06608 67%130$45,754$235,800$175 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · younger residents
Camden, NJ 08105 67%7$45,974$121,100$182 cheaper homes ($43K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21239 67%90$62,650$207,400$164 pricier homes ($43K more) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60609 67%664$58,896$268,300$213 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Hartford, CT 06112 66%176$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60649 66%659$44,175$213,200$84 pricier homes ($49K more) · 5 min longer 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.