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 Des Plaines, IL 60018

Des Plaines: median income $90,574, home value $318,100, $272/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Merchantville, NJ 08109 93%683$90,242$252,000$222 cheaper homes ($66K less)
North Providence, RI 02911 92%841$89,456$360,200$251 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Warwick, RI 02886 91%844$92,047$366,400$285 pricier homes ($48K more)
Cranston, RI 02920 91%843$80,717$370,000$280 pricier homes ($52K more)
Deptford, NJ 08096 91%690$89,013$269,000$222 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Trenton, NJ 08610 91%696$83,906$264,600$282 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Brookhaven, PA 19015 91%667$82,450$246,700$238 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Riverside, RI 02915 90%848$84,414$357,600$305 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
New Haven, CT 06512 90%772$96,146$289,100$286 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Emmaus, PA 18049 90%650$93,694$315,700$208 Very close on everything we compare
Stratford, CT 06615 89%763$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Souderton, PA 18964 89%662$96,143$356,100$253 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55420 89%334$82,170$328,400$207 Very close on everything we compare
Blackwood, NJ 08012 88%687$95,451$289,700$225 cheaper homes ($28K less) · less walkable
Wilmington, DE 19804 88%659$79,701$264,100$219 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55109 88%331$86,776$315,600$196 Very close on everything we compare
Westfield, MA 01085 87%774$88,728$326,100$240 less walkable
Riverside, NJ 08075 87%687$94,407$307,400$243 less walkable
Whitehall, PA 18052 87%648$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Northampton, PA 18067 87%648$93,652$282,200$197 cheaper homes ($36K less) · less walkable
Pawtucket, RI 02861 86%847$83,411$315,400$252 older homes
West Warwick, RI 02893 86%840$77,608$330,800$268 more renters
Johnston, RI 02919 86%839$91,775$355,800$267 pricier homes ($38K more) · more single-family homes
Florence, NJ 08518 86%692$97,045$331,800$247 smaller
South Amboy, NJ 08879 86%714$92,786$389,800$360 pricier homes ($72K more)

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.