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.

Reset

Towns most like Philadelphia, PA 19152

Philadelphia: median income $59,408, home value $293,700, $244/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miami, FL 33179 85%1,018$65,211$286,200$215 newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06610 81%126$51,634$228,300$219 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Baltimore, MD 21229 81%102$60,047$201,300$147 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Hallandale, FL 33009 80%1,016$52,079$269,000$238 older residents · newer homes
Washington, DC 20019 77%129$58,296$456,800$252 pricier homes ($163K more) · larger · younger residents
Baltimore, MD 21239 77%95$62,650$207,400$164 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33319 77%1,004$58,388$246,600$184 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · less walkable
District Heights, MD 20747 76%129$76,298$344,800$228 pricier homes ($51K more) · more single-family homes
Baltimore, MD 21206 76%94$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($78K less) · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60645 76%672$76,045$328,200$224 pricier homes ($35K more)
East Orange, NJ 07017 75%66$58,853$374,800$252 pricier homes ($81K more) · more renters
Oxon Hill, MD 20745 75%135$75,236$375,700$271 pricier homes ($82K more) · more renters · newer homes
Providence, RI 02904 74%225$67,003$339,900$249 pricier homes ($46K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Bridgeport, CT 06606 74%125$73,372$289,000$271 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Haverstraw, NY 10927 74%97$75,167$361,100$272 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Wilmington, DE 19805 74%36$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Essex, MD 21221 74%91$67,340$271,500$187 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60659 74%673$68,704$371,800$230 pricier homes ($78K more) · more renters · older homes
Bridgeport, CT 06604 73%124$50,026$267,100$210 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21215 73%100$51,587$201,200$132 cheaper homes ($93K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Brooklyn, MD 21225 73%101$54,020$229,000$187 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Woonsocket, RI 02895 72%227$61,059$311,000$228 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Peekskill, NY 10566 72%103$85,954$395,600$330 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($102K more) · more single-family homes
Hyattsville, MD 20785 72%125$85,994$348,400$254 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($55K more) · newer homes
Hialeah, FL 33016 72%1,026$58,479$324,300$307 pricier homes ($31K more) · more renters · newer 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.