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 Elgin, IL 60120

Elgin: median income $82,449, home value $242,300, $205/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Castle, DE 19720 94%680$75,403$265,000$203 older residents
Irving, TX 75060 94%796$71,575$249,800$198 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Paul, MN 55119 91%311$81,865$277,500$184 pricier homes ($35K more)
Garland, TX 75043 91%781$76,778$269,400$172 pricier homes ($27K more)
Bristol, CT 06010 90%788$79,314$277,900$229 pricier homes ($36K more)
Whitehall, PA 18052 90%668$75,665$262,900$201 smaller · older residents
Pottstown, PA 19464 90%668$79,787$264,400$197 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55432 90%327$79,520$301,800$187 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Allentown, PA 18103 89%671$72,895$272,700$193 pricier homes ($30K more)
Glen Burnie, MD 21061 89%641$87,751$339,100$236 pricier homes ($97K more)
Halethorpe, MD 21227 89%636$85,986$289,400$209 pricier homes ($47K more) · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55433 89%333$78,054$296,900$191 pricier homes ($55K more) · newer homes
Waterbury, CT 06708 88%782$67,364$218,500$202 smaller
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 88%686$82,005$252,400$217 smaller
Newark, DE 19713 88%675$76,493$292,600$215 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Norfolk, VA 23513 88%732$68,380$234,000$200 smaller
Kansas City, MO 64118 88%384$74,740$225,300$177 6 min shorter commute
Garland, TX 75040 88%778$74,519$266,300$179 more single-family homes
Garland, TX 75042 88%780$64,266$240,200$185 Very close on everything we compare
Vineland, NJ 08360 87%715$65,359$221,900$198 Very close on everything we compare
Aberdeen, MD 21001 87%655$83,238$285,800$188 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · newer homes
Wyoming, MI 49519 87%143$73,762$238,700$189 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Phoenix, AZ 85051 87%1,423$69,189$326,300$221 pricier homes ($84K more)
Meriden, CT 06450 86%796$71,250$242,600$211 6 min shorter commute
Blackwood, NJ 08012 86%707$95,451$289,700$225 pricier homes ($47K more) · 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.