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 Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Bolingbrook: median income $93,494, home value $277,000, $210/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blackwood, NJ 08012 96%695$95,451$289,700$225 Very close on everything we compare
Brunswick, OH 44212 93%325$91,441$264,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55434 93%353$90,336$301,100$198 smaller
Glen Burnie, MD 21060 92%629$104,715$377,100$229 pricier homes ($100K more)
Virginia Beach, VA 23464 92%721$92,468$355,800$230 pricier homes ($79K more)
Burlington, NJ 08016 91%700$98,463$339,100$227 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents
Riverside, NJ 08075 91%695$94,407$307,400$243 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Kenosha, WI 53142 91%60$88,960$268,100$202 smaller
Anoka, MN 55303 91%364$102,986$353,900$188 pricier homes ($77K more)
Saint Charles, MO 63301 91%237$85,308$267,600$190 6 min shorter commute
Blue Springs, MO 64015 91%376$84,518$268,900$160 smaller
Westfield, MA 01085 90%788$88,728$326,100$240 pricier homes ($49K more) · older homes
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 90%704$109,292$338,100$234 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Gettysburg, PA 17325 90%583$80,948$287,200$191 smaller · older residents
Hanover, PA 17331 90%596$79,488$240,800$177 cheaper homes ($36K less)
York, PA 17402 90%609$81,166$250,400$166 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Elkton, MD 21921 90%657$85,775$330,400$190 pricier homes ($53K more) · less walkable
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 90%726$93,838$336,900$234 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Painesville, OH 44077 90%355$85,056$221,200$168 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55128 90%334$93,210$312,800$194 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Blue Springs, MO 64014 90%374$90,337$251,400$182 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Arlington, TX 76017 90%799$90,083$311,600$180 pricier homes ($35K more)
Deptford, NJ 08096 89%698$89,013$269,000$222 older homes
Coatesville, PA 19320 89%651$90,601$330,100$209 pricier homes ($53K more) · less walkable
Reading, PA 19606 89%643$85,557$245,600$171 cheaper homes ($31K less)

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.