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 Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

Rolling Meadows: median income $94,336, home value $317,900, $244/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Riverside, NJ 08075 96%695$94,407$307,400$243 Very close on everything we compare
Bordentown, NJ 08505 95%705$112,845$362,500$263 pricier homes ($45K more)
Souderton, PA 18964 95%670$96,143$356,100$253 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Hatfield, PA 19440 93%672$99,408$438,500$258 pricier homes ($121K more)
Greendale, WI 53129 93%60$95,012$311,800$231 smaller
Waukesha, WI 53188 93%66$92,409$348,600$237 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Westfield, MA 01085 92%782$88,728$326,100$240 larger
Wallingford, CT 06492 92%783$105,061$353,600$262 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Blackwood, NJ 08012 92%695$95,451$289,700$225 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Burlington, NJ 08016 92%699$98,463$339,100$227 larger
Emmaus, PA 18049 92%658$93,694$315,700$208 Very close on everything we compare
Rocky Hill, CT 06067 91%790$100,027$337,300$242 Very close on everything we compare
Hamden, CT 06514 91%778$88,900$270,800$217 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 91%703$109,292$338,100$234 Very close on everything we compare
Wilmington, DE 19808 91%664$94,234$337,800$213 larger
Nottingham, MD 21236 91%631$95,149$327,200$208 larger
Warwick, RI 02886 90%851$92,047$366,400$285 pricier homes ($49K more)
Mantua, NJ 08051 90%688$92,071$267,200$237 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Trenton, NJ 08619 90%704$105,946$352,500$300 pricier homes ($35K more)
Rensselaer, NY 12144 90%730$90,738$249,700$213 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Palmyra, PA 17078 90%606$93,135$305,700$190 5 min shorter commute
Spring City, PA 19475 90%660$97,146$399,500$236 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller
Clarkston, MI 48346 90%239$101,477$325,400$209 Very close on everything we compare
Nashua, NH 03063 89%842$107,630$391,400$291 pricier homes ($74K more)
Colchester, VT 05446 89%763$97,475$393,200$282 pricier homes ($75K more) · 5 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.