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 Villa Park, IL 60181

Villa Park: median income $92,142, home value $311,500, $269/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Providence, RI 02911 94%848$89,456$360,200$251 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Riverside, NJ 08075 94%691$94,407$307,400$243 Very close on everything we compare
Willow Grove, PA 19090 94%680$99,928$369,100$256 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Merchantville, NJ 08109 93%687$90,242$252,000$222 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Emmaus, PA 18049 93%655$93,694$315,700$208 smaller · older residents
Warwick, RI 02886 92%850$92,047$366,400$285 pricier homes ($55K more)
Westfield, MA 01085 91%781$88,728$326,100$240 less walkable
Worcester, MA 01606 91%829$92,105$370,800$317 pricier homes ($59K more)
Deptford, NJ 08096 91%694$89,013$269,000$222 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents
Wilmington, DE 19809 91%668$81,288$314,900$217 smaller
Norfolk, VA 23518 91%715$77,594$300,700$238 more renters
Minneapolis, MN 55420 91%335$82,170$328,400$207 Very close on everything we compare
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 90%689$100,951$331,200$254 Very close on everything we compare
Blackwood, NJ 08012 90%691$95,451$289,700$225 newer homes
South Saint Paul, MN 55075 90%328$88,386$281,700$196 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Cranston, RI 02920 89%849$80,717$370,000$280 pricier homes ($59K more)
Trenton, NJ 08610 89%701$83,906$264,600$282 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Trenton, NJ 08619 89%700$105,946$352,500$300 pricier homes ($41K more) · older residents
Hatboro, PA 19040 89%680$114,293$384,900$285 pricier homes ($73K more)
Minneapolis, MN 55423 89%336$85,182$343,900$217 pricier homes ($32K more)
Denver, CO 80221 89%899$86,810$472,900$272 pricier homes ($161K more)
Ogden, UT 84403 89%1,237$88,236$422,900$214 pricier homes ($111K more)
West Hartford, CT 06110 88%784$87,539$285,200$291 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Stratford, CT 06615 88%768$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · older residents
Souderton, PA 18964 88%667$96,143$356,100$253 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller

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.