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 60625

Chicago: median income $85,703, home value $401,900, $333/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salem, MA 01970 83%859$85,041$542,900$418 pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Bayonne, NJ 07002 83%710$83,887$460,100$354 pricier homes ($58K more) · newer homes
Malden, MA 02148 80%851$100,606$633,500$451 pricier homes ($232K more) · newer homes
Kew Gardens, NY 11415 80%724$86,394$367,400$399 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 77%712$83,297$582,600$567 pricier homes ($181K more) · smaller · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19146 77%668$103,059$461,000$340 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
New Rochelle, NY 10801 76%724$85,573$575,300$378 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · newer homes
Baltimore, MD 21230 76%610$91,842$330,100$234 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19119 74%665$92,651$371,300$245 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19147 74%669$105,755$530,900$366 pricier homes ($129K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20011 74%599$110,309$723,900$379 pricier homes ($322K more) · more homeowners
Baltimore, MD 21224 74%613$89,017$295,200$207 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Dorchester, MA 02122 73%851$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($268K more) · smaller
Dorchester Center, MA 02124 73%851$81,923$650,700$418 pricier homes ($249K more)
Dorchester, MA 02125 73%851$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($255K more) · smaller
Bronx, NY 10470 73%720$90,046$497,700$399 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Philadelphia, PA 19129 73%666$80,606$323,600$274 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · newer homes
Bloomfield, NJ 07003 72%704$103,663$470,600$421 pricier homes ($69K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19125 72%670$109,554$392,400$287 smaller · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19128 72%664$93,173$353,500$256 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Quincy, MA 02169 70%855$96,290$581,600$460 pricier homes ($180K more) · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07305 70%711$76,527$450,800$353 pricier homes ($49K more) · newer homes
Jersey City, NJ 07306 70%712$74,953$516,000$478 pricier homes ($114K more) · more renters · newer homes
Kearny, NJ 07032 69%707$79,154$459,400$364 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · newer homes
Flushing, NY 11367 69%724$75,061$493,900$500 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller · 8 min longer 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.