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 Lawn, IL 60453

Oak Lawn: median income $83,911, home value $281,200, $205/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deptford, NJ 08096 90%681$89,013$269,000$222 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Merchantville, NJ 08109 85%675$90,242$252,000$222 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 85%658$79,949$267,200$241 smaller · more renters
Pittsburgh, PA 15236 85%416$90,767$233,400$194 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Aston, PA 19014 85%656$96,781$329,800$221 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Blackwood, NJ 08012 84%678$95,451$289,700$225 more renters
Willingboro, NJ 08046 83%682$98,178$269,900$209 smaller · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14224 83%467$80,052$238,500$205 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Wilmington, DE 19804 83%650$79,701$264,100$219 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Racine, WI 53402 83%73$75,751$230,800$190 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Westfield, MA 01085 82%771$88,728$326,100$240 pricier homes ($45K more) · more renters · less walkable
Warwick, RI 02889 82%843$83,946$336,000$297 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · older residents
Burlington, NJ 08016 82%683$98,463$339,100$227 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · less walkable
Riverside, NJ 08075 82%678$94,407$307,400$243 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · more renters
Pittsburgh, PA 15227 82%416$75,448$185,100$163 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · older homes
Hanover, PA 17331 82%579$79,488$240,800$177 cheaper homes ($40K less) · less walkable
New Castle, DE 19720 82%650$75,403$265,000$203 more renters
North Olmsted, OH 44070 82%302$84,363$219,800$177 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Hammonton, NJ 08037 81%694$81,312$322,900$231 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · less walkable
Emmaus, PA 18049 81%642$93,694$315,700$208 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Wilmington, DE 19808 81%647$94,234$337,800$213 pricier homes ($57K more) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Johnston, RI 02919 80%835$91,775$355,800$267 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Beverly, NJ 08010 80%680$88,037$260,000$201 smaller
Northampton, PA 18067 80%641$93,652$282,200$197 smaller · older residents
Lanham, MD 20706 80%604$104,523$429,000$242 pricier homes ($148K more)

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.