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 Chicago, IL 60618

Chicago: median income $106,384, home value $562,700, $389/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20011 90%598$110,309$723,900$379 pricier homes ($161K more)
Malden, MA 02148 86%851$100,606$633,500$451 pricier homes ($71K more) · newer homes
Medford, MA 02155 85%849$129,700$755,500$496 pricier homes ($193K more)
Roslindale, MA 02131 84%848$111,006$664,700$517 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Salem, MA 01970 83%859$85,041$542,900$418 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Bloomfield, NJ 07003 82%704$103,663$470,600$421 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19147 82%669$105,755$530,900$366 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Philadelphia, PA 19146 79%668$103,059$461,000$340 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20017 77%600$106,300$702,600$370 pricier homes ($140K more) · smaller · newer homes
Watertown, MA 02472 76%846$126,336$784,600$507 pricier homes ($222K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Winthrop, MA 02152 75%856$116,167$649,600$407 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19125 75%670$109,554$392,400$287 cheaper homes ($170K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Quincy, MA 02169 74%855$96,290$581,600$460 newer homes
Quincy, MA 02170 74%854$103,627$668,300$487 pricier homes ($106K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Tarrytown, NY 10591 74%719$104,984$681,000$564 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller · older residents
New Rochelle, NY 10801 74%724$85,573$575,300$378 smaller · newer homes
Port Chester, NY 10573 73%728$105,686$662,900$510 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Somerville, MA 02145 72%850$123,755$828,600$598 pricier homes ($266K more) · smaller · more renters
Montclair, NJ 07042 72%703$122,847$821,700$590 pricier homes ($259K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Dorchester, MA 02122 71%851$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($107K more) · smaller
Quincy, MA 02171 71%854$106,885$662,900$512 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller · newer homes
Waltham, MA 02453 71%843$115,366$705,100$473 pricier homes ($142K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20010 71%598$114,126$886,600$471 pricier homes ($324K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hyde Park, MA 02136 70%849$96,737$578,400$426 smaller · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07307 70%712$83,297$582,600$567 smaller · more renters · newer homes

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.