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 19148

Philadelphia: median income $82,605, home value $307,000, $251/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21224 92%86$89,017$295,200$207 Very close on everything we compare
Chicago, IL 60645 80%669$76,045$328,200$224 more renters · more single-family homes · newer homes
Baltimore, MD 21230 77%90$91,842$330,100$234 smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21211 75%88$82,828$284,500$219 smaller
Chicago, IL 60659 75%670$68,704$371,800$230 pricier homes ($65K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21218 74%87$62,488$242,500$161 cheaper homes ($65K less) · more renters
Chicago, IL 60608 72%666$73,366$358,600$300 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · more renters
Mount Vernon, NY 10552 69%98$96,717$363,100$337 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · older residents
Forest Park, IL 60130 69%674$77,221$304,700$244 smaller · more renters · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60625 67%669$85,703$401,900$333 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · more renters
Salem, MA 01970 66%285$85,041$542,900$418 pricier homes ($236K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21212 66%86$96,685$373,700$254 pricier homes ($67K more) · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60641 66%671$83,758$391,100$284 pricier homes ($84K more) · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Providence, RI 02908 64%235$73,081$324,100$240 more renters · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21239 64%85$62,650$207,400$164 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · less walkable
Lowell, MA 01852 63%274$80,906$424,300$328 pricier homes ($117K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Lowell, MA 01851 62%273$92,401$467,000$324 pricier homes ($160K more) · smaller · more renters
Providence, RI 02909 62%234$64,649$325,300$250 more renters
Garfield, NJ 07026 61%86$79,700$475,500$381 pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller · more renters
Wilmington, DE 19805 61%26$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60630 61%672$98,860$384,500$282 pricier homes ($78K more) · more single-family homes
Worcester, MA 01603 60%236$66,049$331,300$257 smaller · more renters · more single-family homes
Bayonne, NJ 07002 60%75$83,887$460,100$354 pricier homes ($153K more) · more renters · newer homes
New Rochelle, NY 10805 60%99$102,109$368,100$284 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · older residents
Worcester, MA 01604 59%239$73,505$352,500$271 pricier homes ($46K more) · 6 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.