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 60644

Chicago: median income $40,950, home value $239,000, $149/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bridgeport, CT 06604 78%754$50,026$267,100$210 pricier homes ($28K more)
Bridgeport, CT 06608 78%755$45,754$235,800$175 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21217 78%609$38,409$180,100$92 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Philadelphia, PA 19141 76%670$43,998$164,000$145 cheaper homes ($75K less) · more homeowners
Waterbury, CT 06710 75%758$37,191$228,300$154 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19139 75%667$40,947$133,900$126 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Baltimore, MD 21216 75%608$42,031$147,800$112 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Newark, NJ 07106 74%706$53,440$355,400$243 pricier homes ($116K more)
Philadelphia, PA 19143 73%667$43,244$177,000$148 cheaper homes ($62K less) · more homeowners
Central Falls, RI 02863 72%840$49,285$352,100$193 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07112 72%707$58,200$336,500$193 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller · newer homes
Allentown, PA 18102 72%643$43,085$163,400$147 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
Trenton, NJ 08611 71%687$56,788$160,500$181 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Darby, PA 19023 71%666$46,463$153,300$141 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19131 71%666$48,393$178,500$137 cheaper homes ($61K less) · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19142 71%667$38,376$121,100$133 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Hartford, CT 06114 70%776$52,110$232,800$158 smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07107 70%708$51,242$379,500$262 pricier homes ($141K more) · newer homes
Camden, NJ 08103 70%673$36,793$138,000$130 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19144 70%668$53,161$238,700$161 Very close on everything we compare
Hartford, CT 06112 69%774$44,460$208,000$144 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bridgeport, CT 06610 69%755$51,634$228,300$219 smaller · more homeowners
Hartford, CT 06106 68%775$46,304$214,200$187 14 min shorter commute
Waterbury, CT 06704 67%759$48,718$192,000$205 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
East Orange, NJ 07017 67%707$58,853$374,800$252 pricier homes ($136K more) · 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.