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 Lombard, IL 60148

Lombard: median income $100,616, home value $344,100, $252/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Catonsville, MD 21228 96%618$112,656$404,700$239 pricier homes ($61K more)
Trenton, NJ 08619 93%702$105,946$352,500$300 smaller
Allentown, PA 18104 93%654$94,601$336,400$195 Very close on everything we compare
Waukesha, WI 53188 93%80$92,409$348,600$237 smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55112 93%341$93,838$358,500$200 Very close on everything we compare
Wallingford, CT 06492 92%784$105,061$353,600$262 Very close on everything we compare
Riverside, NJ 08075 92%693$94,407$307,400$243 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Norristown, PA 19403 91%669$104,071$375,100$238 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents
Wilmington, DE 19808 91%662$94,234$337,800$213 Very close on everything we compare
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 90%691$100,951$331,200$254 smaller · more walkable
Bethlehem, PA 18017 90%660$91,173$336,100$207 older residents
Virginia Beach, VA 23454 90%728$102,796$416,700$262 pricier homes ($73K more) · newer homes
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 90%721$94,069$418,000$247 pricier homes ($74K more)
Saint Paul, MN 55113 90%337$86,792$350,200$207 Very close on everything we compare
Warwick, RI 02886 89%852$92,047$366,400$285 smaller
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 89%585$99,077$284,500$199 cheaper homes ($60K less) · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32806 89%996$89,046$441,300$288 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55118 89%330$87,340$350,600$205 smaller
Plano, TX 75075 89%775$98,365$428,000$219 pricier homes ($84K more)
Blackwood, NJ 08012 88%693$95,451$289,700$225 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Bordentown, NJ 08505 88%704$112,845$362,500$263 smaller
Pittsburgh, PA 15237 88%424$109,895$326,700$216 Very close on everything we compare
Camp Hill, PA 17011 88%588$92,556$277,800$178 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Langhorne, PA 19047 88%692$109,530$467,000$285 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller · older residents
Lansdale, PA 19446 88%672$106,310$441,100$257 pricier homes ($97K 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.