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 Hillside, IL 60162

Hillside: median income $72,320, home value $246,800, $283/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Berlin, NJ 08091 89%692$75,238$302,600$263 pricier homes ($56K more)
Westville, NJ 08093 88%681$64,104$213,200$232 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Croydon, PA 19021 88%689$70,199$293,400$264 pricier homes ($47K more) · less walkable
Dallas, TX 75223 88%793$73,318$265,100$271 younger residents
Keansburg, NJ 07734 87%722$82,029$346,900$340 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger
Wilmington, DE 19804 86%659$79,701$264,100$219 larger
Riverside, RI 02915 84%851$84,414$357,600$305 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger
Lawnside, NJ 08045 84%686$71,607$240,700$222 smaller · less walkable
South Milwaukee, WI 53172 84%72$73,427$235,700$216 larger · younger residents
Stratford, CT 06615 83%764$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger
Bellmawr, NJ 08031 82%683$76,654$239,400$235 younger residents · less walkable
Palmyra, NJ 08065 82%684$89,574$234,800$213 Very close on everything we compare
Penns Grove, NJ 08069 82%668$71,942$198,100$200 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · younger residents
Norfolk, VA 23509 82%710$72,816$258,000$211 larger · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33711 82%1,019$66,540$283,800$270 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Netcong, NJ 07857 81%687$85,898$346,100$354 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 81%666$79,949$267,200$241 larger · less walkable
Cudahy, WI 53110 81%74$66,719$216,500$203 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Mount Ephraim, NJ 08059 80%682$89,375$249,700$256 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Pennsauken, NJ 08110 80%682$83,729$208,800$222 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · younger residents
Trenton, NJ 08610 80%697$83,906$264,600$282 larger · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Pen Argyl, PA 18072 80%658$80,716$253,100$176 less walkable
New Bedford, MA 02745 79%873$74,034$368,600$316 pricier homes ($122K more) · larger · younger residents
Oakville, CT 06779 79%763$95,798$277,000$256 pricier homes ($30K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Runnemede, NJ 08078 79%684$86,741$250,800$235 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.