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 Northbrook, IL 60062

Northbrook: median income $143,323, home value $632,500, $312/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ambler, PA 19002 94%670$143,600$602,100$292 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Newtown Square, PA 19073 93%664$134,839$610,300$279 smaller
East Greenwich, RI 02818 91%842$139,217$613,500$342 smaller
Moorestown, NJ 08057 91%687$158,770$680,200$308 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Morris Plains, NJ 07950 88%697$153,762$589,900$398 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lutherville Timonium, MD 21093 88%614$125,528$477,700$252 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 87%688$155,059$443,400$252 cheaper homes ($189K less)
Newtown, PA 18940 87%682$157,414$655,000$316 Very close on everything we compare
Blue Bell, PA 19422 87%667$158,288$611,900$274 smaller · younger residents
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444 86%670$147,418$537,400$279 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Mahwah, NJ 07430 85%709$131,327$606,000$427 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
West Chester, PA 19380 85%655$122,899$564,400$278 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents
Excelsior, MN 55331 85%345$159,450$737,000$273 pricier homes ($105K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Littleton, CO 80122 85%910$128,691$634,400$256 younger residents
Farmington, CT 06032 84%771$140,912$445,400$268 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller
Media, PA 19063 84%666$127,368$548,900$303 cheaper homes ($84K less) · more renters
Morrisville, PA 19067 84%689$133,630$507,900$287 cheaper homes ($125K less) · younger residents
Malvern, PA 19355 84%657$169,417$692,300$315 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents
Mequon, WI 53092 84%77$128,156$473,300$250 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Shrewsbury, MA 01545 83%824$139,302$592,300$353 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Burlington, MA 01803 83%849$146,436$740,600$441 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Andover, MA 01810 83%851$172,606$855,600$412 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($223K more) · younger residents
Sewickley, PA 15143 83%413$132,674$454,900$257 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller
Pittsburgh, PA 15238 82%427$116,575$491,700$251 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller
Chantilly, VA 20151 82%590$158,271$676,800$317 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · younger 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.