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 Evanston, IL 60202

Evanston: median income $98,989, home value $397,600, $300/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21212 90%608$96,685$373,700$254 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Vernon, NY 10552 88%721$96,717$363,100$337 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Towson, MD 21286 88%609$93,808$430,100$216 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19119 86%665$92,651$371,300$245 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older homes
Philadelphia, PA 19128 86%663$93,173$353,500$256 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Elkins Park, PA 19027 84%667$106,066$391,600$208 smaller
Collingswood, NJ 08108 83%674$108,151$395,300$332 smaller · more single-family homes
Jenkintown, PA 19046 83%668$109,818$470,800$243 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Ardmore, PA 19003 81%660$119,861$448,500$329 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · younger residents
Washington, DC 20017 81%601$106,300$702,600$370 pricier homes ($305K more) · smaller
Edison, NJ 08837 80%700$102,605$437,900$389 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · newer homes
Bloomfield, NJ 07003 79%704$103,663$470,600$421 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Wyncote, PA 19095 79%666$97,727$456,400$208 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Highland Park, NJ 08904 78%696$104,694$471,700$342 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · younger residents
Philadelphia, PA 19125 77%669$109,554$392,400$287 younger residents · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Conshohocken, PA 19428 77%658$122,835$478,500$315 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · younger residents
Englewood, NJ 07631 76%713$102,571$544,100$428 pricier homes ($147K more)
Alexandria, VA 22302 76%599$123,539$631,100$441 pricier homes ($234K more) · smaller · newer homes
West Hartford, CT 06119 75%769$99,688$378,400$281 smaller · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19129 75%666$80,606$323,600$274 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · younger residents
Philadelphia, PA 19146 75%668$103,059$461,000$340 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Falls Church, VA 22041 75%596$92,636$452,300$311 pricier homes ($55K more) · newer homes
Northampton, MA 01060 74%770$76,848$453,400$344 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Salem, MA 01970 74%857$85,041$542,900$418 pricier homes ($145K more) · older homes
Fort Lee, NJ 07024 74%714$107,396$448,000$448 pricier homes ($50K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute

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.