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 Cicero, IL 60804

Cicero: median income $70,842, home value $249,400, $200/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Easton, PA 18042 84%656$77,556$230,200$186 smaller
Dundalk, MD 21222 83%617$64,141$215,900$179 cheaper homes ($34K less) · newer homes
Fitchburg, MA 01420 80%817$72,780$335,300$246 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller · newer homes
Providence, RI 02908 80%839$73,081$324,100$240 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller
Wilmington, DE 19805 80%653$60,221$237,100$204 smaller
Brooklyn, MD 21225 79%612$54,020$229,000$187 smaller · newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06606 77%753$73,372$289,000$271 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01603 76%816$66,049$331,300$257 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53215 76%81$54,289$156,800$150 cheaper homes ($93K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Pawtucket, RI 02861 75%843$83,411$315,400$252 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Bristol, PA 19007 75%683$65,511$290,300$256 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · newer homes
Baltimore, MD 21206 75%613$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · newer homes
Lowell, MA 01850 74%842$69,780$390,800$313 pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller
Providence, RI 02905 74%841$62,908$371,900$258 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Norwich, CT 06360 73%808$65,539$245,700$203 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Saint Paul, MN 55106 73%342$70,187$241,800$176 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
Pawtucket, RI 02860 72%841$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · more renters
Woonsocket, RI 02895 72%834$61,059$311,000$228 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · more renters
Providence, RI 02909 72%839$64,649$325,300$250 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller · more renters
Gloucester City, NJ 08030 72%674$63,384$179,200$196 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Minneapolis, MN 55411 72%353$60,225$245,400$145 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Dallas, TX 75211 72%804$56,807$219,300$207 cheaper homes ($30K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
New Bedford, MA 02740 71%866$55,237$345,800$259 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
New Britain, CT 06053 71%771$62,645$220,800$214 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Trenton, NJ 08629 71%687$82,646$182,400$183 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · 6 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.