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 Chicago, IL 60621

Chicago: median income $31,905, home value $153,500, $94/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baltimore, MD 21217 77%602$38,409$180,100$92 pricier homes ($27K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Philadelphia, PA 19133 76%664$31,034$89,500$73 cheaper homes ($64K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Baltimore, MD 21216 72%600$42,031$147,800$112 more homeowners
Waterbury, CT 06710 70%753$37,191$228,300$154 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Camden, NJ 08103 70%666$36,793$138,000$130 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Philadelphia, PA 19142 70%660$38,376$121,100$133 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19132 69%662$32,823$81,400$86 cheaper homes ($72K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Detroit, MI 48214 68%242$33,544$147,300$113 smaller · older residents · 11 min shorter commute
Rochester, NY 14613 67%519$37,778$120,600$84 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · younger residents
Philadelphia, PA 19139 67%660$40,947$133,900$126 larger · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Philadelphia, PA 19140 65%663$36,226$107,300$105 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19141 63%663$43,998$164,000$145 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Baltimore, MD 21205 61%605$43,176$96,100$131 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21223 61%602$45,840$110,600$58 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Cincinnati, OH 45232 61%243$28,367$130,500$87 smaller · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Darby, PA 19023 60%659$46,463$153,300$141 more homeowners
Reading, PA 19602 60%618$34,582$96,000$121 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cleveland, OH 44102 58%305$42,714$113,400$126 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 13 min shorter commute
Cincinnati, OH 45205 58%245$43,682$127,900$106 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hammond, IN 46320 58%13$37,158$135,000$133 smaller · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Milwaukee, WI 53206 58%91$29,336$83,400$59 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Saint Louis, MO 63111 58%261$47,039$128,400$101 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
San Antonio, TX 78226 58%1,051$33,398$107,100$138 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · younger residents
Allentown, PA 18102 57%637$43,085$163,400$147 larger · younger residents · 12 min shorter commute
Reading, PA 19601 57%617$40,973$123,100$127 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents · 13 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.