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 Des Plaines, IL 60016

Des Plaines: median income $86,571, home value $320,400, $241/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bensalem, PA 19020 92%687$83,223$362,800$256 pricier homes ($42K more)
Pikesville, MD 21208 90%612$90,131$337,900$194 smaller · older residents
Parkville, MD 21234 89%621$83,517$288,100$183 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Hollywood, FL 33021 89%1,190$71,318$424,100$320 pricier homes ($104K more)
Nottingham, MD 21236 88%624$95,149$327,200$208 smaller · less walkable
Philadelphia, PA 19115 87%682$70,054$345,000$250 smaller
Silver Spring, MD 20906 87%603$97,521$455,800$250 pricier homes ($135K more)
Leominster, MA 01453 85%824$84,296$381,300$280 pricier homes ($61K more) · less walkable
Saint Petersburg, FL 33702 84%1,025$67,463$341,700$274 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Saint Paul, MN 55118 84%327$87,340$350,600$205 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Aurora, CO 80014 84%899$73,210$416,200$212 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 83%686$100,951$331,200$254 smaller · more single-family homes
Blackwood, NJ 08012 83%688$95,451$289,700$225 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more single-family homes
Burlington, NJ 08016 83%692$98,463$339,100$227 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Riverside, NJ 08075 83%688$94,407$307,400$243 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Bethlehem, PA 18017 83%654$91,173$336,100$207 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Allentown, PA 18104 83%649$94,601$336,400$195 9 min shorter commute
Souderton, PA 18964 83%663$96,143$356,100$253 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Frederick, MD 21701 83%580$106,577$435,000$230 pricier homes ($115K more) · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32812 83%1,006$73,149$375,200$235 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · newer homes
Pompano Beach, FL 33064 83%1,175$71,301$320,100$328 Very close on everything we compare
Boynton Beach, FL 33435 83%1,160$67,979$356,200$308 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Vernon Rockville, CT 06066 82%792$85,356$275,500$226 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · more renters
Drexel Hill, PA 19026 82%671$89,234$271,100$201 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older homes
Philadelphia, PA 19116 82%683$67,535$346,600$249 pricier homes ($26K 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.