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.

Reset

Towns most like Chicago, IL 60659

Chicago: median income $68,704, home value $371,800, $230/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Worcester, MA 01604 86%816$73,505$352,500$271 6 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01852 86%839$80,906$424,300$328 pricier homes ($53K more)
Providence, RI 02908 85%836$73,081$324,100$240 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Philadelphia, PA 19145 85%669$71,965$306,200$243 cheaper homes ($66K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Providence, RI 02905 83%838$62,908$371,900$258 smaller · more single-family homes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 82%838$61,539$336,100$250 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Baltimore, MD 21218 82%610$62,488$242,500$161 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Bridgeport, CT 06605 81%751$56,179$335,500$277 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · more renters
Kearny, NJ 07032 81%708$79,154$459,400$364 pricier homes ($88K more)
Worcester, MA 01603 80%813$66,049$331,300$257 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Baltimore, MD 21224 80%614$89,017$295,200$207 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Bayonne, NJ 07002 79%711$83,887$460,100$354 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Norristown, PA 19401 79%658$69,908$234,000$201 cheaper homes ($138K less) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20019 79%606$58,296$456,800$252 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Worcester, MA 01607 78%815$78,727$377,200$253 smaller
Haverhill, MA 01830 78%850$78,571$467,000$311 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Lowell, MA 01851 78%837$92,401$467,000$324 pricier homes ($95K more)
Providence, RI 02909 78%836$64,649$325,300$250 cheaper homes ($47K less)
New Haven, CT 06515 78%762$73,709$328,900$254 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 78%419$72,920$317,600$235 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Bethlehem, PA 18018 78%646$75,417$250,900$195 cheaper homes ($121K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Easton, PA 18042 78%654$77,556$230,200$186 cheaper homes ($142K less)
Lakewood, OH 44107 78%307$68,970$262,200$214 cheaper homes ($110K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Fitchburg, MA 01420 77%813$72,780$335,300$246 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more single-family homes
Worcester, MA 01609 77%813$68,381$444,000$267 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · younger residents

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.