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 Pawtucket, RI 02860

Pawtucket: median income $61,539, home value $336,100, $250/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fall River, MA 02720 94%17$62,196$398,000$253 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller
New Bedford, MA 02740 94%29$55,237$345,800$259 Very close on everything we compare
Worcester, MA 01603 90%34$66,049$331,300$257 smaller
Lawrence, MA 01841 88%59$56,971$403,400$305 pricier homes ($67K more)
Fall River, MA 02721 88%18$52,841$406,000$228 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller
Fall River, MA 02724 88%17$55,590$402,800$256 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Chicago, IL 60609 88%836$58,896$268,300$213 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min longer commute
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 87%177$64,491$370,900$328 pricier homes ($35K more) · newer homes
Lawrence, MA 01843 86%58$67,585$429,100$334 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller
Lynn, MA 01902 86%47$67,046$478,000$348 pricier homes ($142K more) · 5 min longer commute
New London, CT 06320 86%52$59,170$253,300$223 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Worcester, MA 01604 85%33$73,505$352,500$271 newer homes
Bridgeport, CT 06605 85%106$56,179$335,500$277 smaller
Paterson, NJ 07514 85%157$70,205$342,900$302 smaller
Norristown, PA 19401 85%238$69,908$234,000$201 cheaper homes ($102K less) · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60608 85%836$73,366$358,600$300 larger
New Bedford, MA 02744 84%30$58,675$372,700$317 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Worcester, MA 01605 82%35$54,642$392,100$270 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · newer homes
Wilmington, DE 19805 82%264$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($99K less) · more homeowners
Chicago, IL 60659 82%838$68,704$371,800$230 pricier homes ($36K more)
Chicopee, MA 01013 81%65$59,759$271,900$234 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Holyoke, MA 01040 81%67$53,605$274,100$183 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01850 81%54$69,780$390,800$313 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Fall River, MA 02723 81%18$47,633$357,800$244 smaller
Plainfield, NJ 07060 81%180$78,602$393,800$348 pricier homes ($58K more)

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.