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 Hoffman Estates, IL 60169

Hoffman Estates: median income $90,774, home value $306,300, $241/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Riverside, NJ 08075 94%699$94,407$307,400$243 Very close on everything we compare
Nottingham, MD 21236 94%635$95,149$327,200$208 Very close on everything we compare
Vernon Rockville, CT 06066 92%803$85,356$275,500$226 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more renters
Blackwood, NJ 08012 92%699$95,451$289,700$225 Very close on everything we compare
Westfield, MA 01085 91%786$88,728$326,100$240 Very close on everything we compare
Manchester, CT 06042 91%800$91,892$237,400$224 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Hamden, CT 06514 91%783$88,900$270,800$217 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Souderton, PA 18964 91%674$96,143$356,100$253 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Burnsville, MN 55337 91%320$84,110$349,100$180 pricier homes ($43K more)
Bordentown, NJ 08505 90%709$112,845$362,500$263 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Hatfield, PA 19440 90%677$99,408$438,500$258 pricier homes ($132K more) · smaller
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 90%730$94,069$418,000$247 pricier homes ($112K more)
Waukesha, WI 53188 90%67$92,409$348,600$237 pricier homes ($42K more)
Burlington, NJ 08016 89%704$98,463$339,100$227 pricier homes ($33K more) · older residents
Rensselaer, NY 12144 89%735$90,738$249,700$213 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Parkville, MD 21234 89%632$83,517$288,100$183 larger
Virginia Beach, VA 23452 89%734$79,085$346,600$250 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55112 89%329$93,838$358,500$200 pricier homes ($52K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Saint Paul, MN 55119 89%317$81,865$277,500$184 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Leominster, MA 01453 88%835$84,296$381,300$280 pricier homes ($75K more) · older residents
Bristol, CT 06010 88%780$79,314$277,900$229 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Middletown, CT 06457 88%795$79,463$295,300$235 more renters
Naugatuck, CT 06770 88%776$96,208$259,000$230 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 6 min longer commute
Newark, DE 19713 88%667$76,493$292,600$215 Very close on everything we compare
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 88%737$93,838$336,900$234 pricier homes ($31K more) · newer homes

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.