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 60651

Chicago: median income $54,409, home value $269,900, $199/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newark, NJ 07106 85%705$53,440$355,400$243 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller · newer homes
Brooklyn, MD 21225 84%612$54,020$229,000$187 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Woonsocket, RI 02895 83%832$61,059$311,000$228 pricier homes ($41K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06610 81%754$51,634$228,300$219 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19111 80%672$61,138$253,700$218 more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
East Orange, NJ 07017 79%706$58,853$374,800$252 pricier homes ($105K more) · smaller · more renters
Baltimore, MD 21229 79%607$60,047$201,300$147 cheaper homes ($69K less) · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06604 78%753$50,026$267,100$210 smaller · more renters · newer homes
Waterbury, CT 06704 78%758$48,718$192,000$205 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Upper Darby, PA 19082 78%664$57,108$169,900$172 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Philadelphia, PA 19126 78%669$53,176$225,100$157 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Baltimore, MD 21206 78%613$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Providence, RI 02909 77%837$64,649$325,300$250 pricier homes ($55K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19149 77%673$58,496$211,000$189 cheaper homes ($59K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19135 76%674$53,138$196,600$173 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Philadelphia, PA 19136 76%675$56,687$226,100$198 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 75%840$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($66K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Trenton, NJ 08611 75%686$56,788$160,500$181 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Lansdowne, PA 19050 75%665$60,859$201,900$166 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · older residents
Providence, RI 02905 74%840$62,908$371,900$258 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Newark, NJ 07112 74%706$58,200$336,500$193 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · more renters
Philadelphia, PA 19144 74%668$53,161$238,700$161 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Wilmington, DE 19805 74%652$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Baltimore, MD 21215 74%606$51,587$201,200$132 cheaper homes ($69K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Easton, PA 18042 73%655$77,556$230,200$186 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 8 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.