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 Baltimore, MD 21211

Baltimore: median income $82,828, home value $284,500, $219/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Philadelphia, PA 19129 82%90$80,606$323,600$274 pricier homes ($39K more) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Philadelphia, PA 19119 80%92$92,651$371,300$245 pricier homes ($87K more) · larger · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19125 80%92$109,554$392,400$287 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($108K more) · larger
Forest Park, IL 60130 80%612$77,221$304,700$244 more single-family homes
Saint Paul, MN 55102 79%927$76,406$292,200$225 6 min shorter commute · more renters · more single-family homes
Pittsburgh, PA 15201 77%193$93,231$293,300$271 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19148 75%88$82,605$307,000$251 larger
Philadelphia, PA 19145 73%87$71,965$306,200$243 larger
Saint Louis, MO 63104 73%731$68,764$268,900$161 6 min shorter commute · more renters · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19128 72%90$93,173$353,500$256 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19146 72%88$103,059$461,000$340 pricier homes ($177K more) · larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 69%191$72,920$317,600$235 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · more renters
Ardmore, PA 19003 69%85$119,861$448,500$329 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($164K more)
Evanston, IL 60202 69%608$98,989$397,600$300 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14216 68%276$69,629$294,700$200 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Buffalo, NY 14222 68%274$81,652$407,600$217 pricier homes ($123K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Pittsburgh, PA 15224 68%192$66,993$246,400$205 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more renters · more single-family homes
Chicago, IL 60645 68%608$76,045$328,200$224 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Philadelphia, PA 19147 67%89$105,755$530,900$366 pricier homes ($246K more) · larger
Drexel Hill, PA 19026 66%83$89,234$271,100$201 larger · 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45206 66%420$62,648$271,700$213 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Northampton, MA 01060 65%294$76,848$453,400$344 pricier homes ($169K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
West Hartford, CT 06119 65%265$99,688$378,400$281 pricier homes ($94K more) · more renters · more single-family homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10552 64%184$96,717$363,100$337 pricier homes ($79K more) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19806 64%64$88,855$386,000$259 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · older residents

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.