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 Elmwood Park, IL 60707

Elmwood Park: median income $84,799, home value $332,000, $234/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stratford, CT 06615 86%760$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Roselle, NJ 07203 86%709$92,762$379,900$350 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 86%662$79,949$267,200$241 cheaper homes ($65K less) · less walkable
Hyattsville, MD 20784 86%609$86,509$369,900$275 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents
North Providence, RI 02911 85%839$89,456$360,200$251 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06606 85%756$73,372$289,000$271 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Belleville, NJ 07109 85%712$90,438$420,800$372 pricier homes ($89K more)
Capitol Heights, MD 20743 85%611$76,466$341,000$250 less walkable · newer homes
Temple Hills, MD 20748 85%610$83,162$384,300$237 pricier homes ($52K more) · less walkable
Halethorpe, MD 21227 85%612$85,986$289,400$209 cheaper homes ($43K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33705 84%1,023$73,027$365,600$297 pricier homes ($34K more)
Pawtucket, RI 02861 83%845$83,411$315,400$252 8 min shorter commute
Carteret, NJ 07008 83%711$97,021$406,000$355 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller
Haverhill, MA 01830 82%856$78,571$467,000$311 pricier homes ($135K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Hillside, NJ 07205 82%710$99,528$397,400$353 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · younger residents
South Amboy, NJ 08879 82%711$92,786$389,800$360 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · less walkable
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 82%608$67,060$260,300$187 cheaper homes ($72K less) · less walkable
Cranston, RI 02920 81%840$80,717$370,000$280 pricier homes ($38K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Emmaus, PA 18049 81%647$93,694$315,700$208 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Whitehall, PA 18052 81%645$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Clifton Heights, PA 19018 81%668$73,522$225,100$202 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Bensalem, PA 19020 81%682$83,223$362,800$256 pricier homes ($31K more) · newer homes
Drexel Hill, PA 19026 81%667$89,234$271,100$201 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Parkville, MD 21234 81%616$83,517$288,100$183 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Gardner, MA 01440 80%810$67,440$303,500$232 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · less walkable

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.