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 60647

Chicago: median income $107,060, home value $586,200, $403/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Philadelphia, PA 19147 84%669$105,755$530,900$366 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19146 83%667$103,059$461,000$340 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Washington, DC 20002 83%600$120,337$826,400$494 pricier homes ($240K more) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20010 83%598$114,126$886,600$471 pricier homes ($300K more) · smaller
Washington, DC 20011 83%598$110,309$723,900$379 pricier homes ($138K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Somerville, MA 02145 82%850$123,755$828,600$598 pricier homes ($242K more) · smaller
Malden, MA 02148 82%852$100,606$633,500$451 pricier homes ($47K more) · newer homes
Watertown, MA 02472 78%846$126,336$784,600$507 pricier homes ($198K more) · smaller · older residents
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 77%850$131,551$822,300$642 pricier homes ($236K more) · smaller
Medford, MA 02155 77%849$129,700$755,500$496 pricier homes ($169K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Salem, MA 01970 74%859$85,041$542,900$418 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · older residents
Dorchester, MA 02125 74%851$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Waltham, MA 02453 74%843$115,366$705,100$473 pricier homes ($119K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Jersey City, NJ 07307 73%712$83,297$582,600$567 smaller · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19125 72%669$109,554$392,400$287 cheaper homes ($194K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20017 72%599$106,300$702,600$370 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Brighton, MA 02135 71%847$90,829$681,200$631 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller · more renters
Philadelphia, PA 19130 71%667$112,037$491,800$347 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22204 71%596$107,941$688,000$418 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Silver Spring, MD 20910 70%596$112,134$730,900$364 pricier homes ($145K more) · smaller · newer homes
Roslindale, MA 02131 69%849$111,006$664,700$517 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller · older residents
Quincy, MA 02169 69%856$96,290$581,600$460 older residents · newer homes
Bloomfield, NJ 07003 69%704$103,663$470,600$421 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Dorchester, MA 02122 68%851$86,150$669,900$471 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller
New Rochelle, NY 10801 68%724$85,573$575,300$378 smaller · older residents · 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.