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 Oak Forest, IL 60452

Oak Forest: median income $93,076, home value $256,000, $203/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Williamstown, NJ 08094 93%683$96,699$276,100$216 larger
Berlin, NJ 08009 91%683$101,184$317,900$226 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller
Hammonton, NJ 08037 91%694$81,312$322,900$231 pricier homes ($67K more)
Aston, PA 19014 91%656$96,781$329,800$221 pricier homes ($74K more)
Beverly, NJ 08010 89%679$88,037$260,000$201 smaller
Blackwood, NJ 08012 89%677$95,451$289,700$225 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · more renters
Burlington, NJ 08016 89%682$98,463$339,100$227 pricier homes ($83K more)
Birdsboro, PA 19508 89%629$84,826$248,800$172 smaller · less walkable
Naugatuck, CT 06770 88%759$96,208$259,000$230 more renters
Willingboro, NJ 08046 88%681$98,178$269,900$209 more single-family homes
Sicklerville, NJ 08081 88%681$105,800$286,200$210 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · newer homes
Deptford, NJ 08096 88%680$89,013$269,000$222 6 min shorter commute
Clayton, NJ 08312 88%677$89,294$254,100$208 smaller
Hanover, PA 17331 88%578$79,488$240,800$177 larger
Joppa, MD 21085 88%617$113,714$348,600$210 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller
Brunswick, OH 44212 88%308$91,441$264,000$202 larger
Arnold, MO 63010 88%260$79,784$224,300$184 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Northampton, PA 18067 87%641$93,652$282,200$197 pricier homes ($26K more) · more apartments and townhomes
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 87%653$90,522$275,600$189 6 min longer commute
Atco, NJ 08004 86%687$111,738$267,600$207 smaller
Riverside, NJ 08075 86%678$94,407$307,400$243 pricier homes ($51K more) · more renters
Reading, PA 19606 86%625$85,557$245,600$171 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Minneapolis, MN 55434 86%370$90,336$301,100$198 pricier homes ($45K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Gettysburg, PA 17325 85%565$80,948$287,200$191 pricier homes ($31K more) · 7 min shorter commute
York, PA 17406 85%594$83,521$234,100$162 8 min shorter 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.