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 Waterville, ME 04901

Waterville: median income $57,403, home value $204,700, $181/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Green Bay, WI 54304 97%905$63,865$220,600$192 Very close on everything we compare
Plattsburgh, NY 12901 94%189$60,942$189,400$166 Very close on everything we compare
Mishawaka, IN 46545 94%856$56,865$177,900$159 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Fond Du Lac, WI 54935 94%932$63,144$180,200$169 Very close on everything we compare
Sheboygan, WI 53081 93%898$64,042$180,100$178 larger
Rapid City, SD 57701 93%1,648$56,461$251,200$211 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Pocatello, ID 83204 93%2,118$57,146$263,500$168 pricier homes ($59K more)
Las Cruces, NM 88005 93%2,160$54,452$220,800$168 newer homes
Kenosha, WI 53140 92%919$58,006$206,700$190 Very close on everything we compare
Great Falls, MT 59405 92%1,984$59,449$250,100$194 pricier homes ($45K more)
Binghamton, NY 13901 91%356$55,523$158,300$131 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Indiana, PA 15701 91%556$56,311$173,900$140 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37412 91%1,057$62,508$209,900$175 more single-family homes
Fairborn, OH 45324 91%806$64,979$184,200$155 Very close on everything we compare
Westland, MI 48185 91%706$60,854$194,000$167 larger · 5 min longer commute
Kalamazoo, MI 49048 91%811$60,454$177,200$163 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Green Bay, WI 54303 91%907$60,781$178,600$179 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Bellevue, NE 68005 91%1,346$66,551$205,900$153 Very close on everything we compare
Carlisle, PA 17013 90%488$71,042$233,300$179 pricier homes ($29K more)
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 90%423$67,510$222,900$160 Very close on everything we compare
Salisbury, NC 28144 90%840$52,568$226,700$159 more single-family homes
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 90%645$63,342$167,300$170 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Mishawaka, IN 46544 90%857$58,829$172,200$144 cheaper homes ($33K less)
New Albany, IN 47150 90%942$62,820$207,000$152 larger
Terre Haute, IN 47802 90%978$57,395$170,200$136 cheaper homes ($35K less)

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.