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 Palos Park, IL 60464

Palos Park: median income $126,087, home value $460,000, $235/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woodbury, CT 06798 90%756$131,480$469,900$250 Very close on everything we compare
Wanaque, NJ 07465 87%704$115,159$419,700$281 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lafayette, NJ 07848 87%683$128,317$436,800$288 smaller
Tarpon Springs, FL 34688 87%978$112,091$510,100$262 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents
Southbury, CT 06488 86%755$112,887$411,600$244 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Sterling, MA 01564 85%825$129,063$498,800$327 pricier homes ($39K more) · less walkable
Sturbridge, MA 01566 84%811$137,730$415,900$268 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Sarasota, FL 34241 84%1,040$116,412$564,600$267 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger · younger residents
Atkinson, NH 03811 83%856$146,380$555,200$297 pricier homes ($95K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Canton, CT 06019 83%770$117,418$390,400$231 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Merrimac, MA 01860 82%864$123,054$553,400$329 pricier homes ($93K more) · younger residents
Hampstead, NH 03841 82%855$104,044$510,100$307 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · younger residents
Valencia, PA 16059 82%417$110,828$408,500$243 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Kennebunk, ME 04043 81%888$107,804$487,700$378 pricier homes ($28K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Palm City, FL 34990 81%1,089$129,560$592,400$283 pricier homes ($132K more) · larger
Leander, TX 78645 81%957$113,008$434,600$225 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · newer homes
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 80%675$123,750$451,700$256 smaller · younger residents
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 80%684$157,781$542,300$319 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($82K more) · less walkable
Pawling, NY 12564 80%736$111,324$446,800$266 younger residents
Murrysville, PA 15668 80%434$124,494$346,700$205 cheaper homes ($113K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mound, MN 55364 80%369$108,725$459,400$260 younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85737 80%1,419$107,348$469,500$246 larger · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Gibsonia, PA 15044 79%417$136,723$385,200$231 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · younger residents
Southampton, PA 18966 79%678$128,838$488,400$282 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · younger residents
Woodstock, CT 06281 78%815$125,778$428,800$261 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · less walkable

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.