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 Waverly, NY 14892

Waverly: median income $54,043, home value $139,000, $117/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Raton, NM 87740 94%1,523$52,815$153,100$114 Very close on everything we compare
Blairsville, PA 15717 92%178$61,304$153,900$100 Very close on everything we compare
Towanda, PA 18848 92%18$59,861$175,200$128 pricier homes ($36K more)
Follansbee, WV 26037 92%241$59,508$136,600$114 Very close on everything we compare
Somerset, PA 15501 91%191$59,245$171,100$121 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Berlin, PA 15530 91%193$59,205$152,600$122 Very close on everything we compare
Clyde, OH 43410 91%337$52,500$164,900$161 pricier homes ($26K more)
Caribou, ME 04736 90%537$54,368$139,000$139 Very close on everything we compare
Dexter, ME 04930 90%418$54,137$168,600$136 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Clearfield, PA 16830 90%120$58,304$130,300$110 larger
Minerva, OH 44657 90%253$62,941$165,400$133 pricier homes ($26K more)
Essexville, MI 48732 90%385$57,903$169,600$133 pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Sparta, IL 62286 90%745$61,220$117,800$94 younger residents
Fairfield, IL 62837 90%672$50,536$103,900$91 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Globe, AZ 85501 90%1,950$61,983$164,200$137 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · younger residents
South Charleston, WV 25309 89%371$57,937$158,000$130 larger
Elkins, WV 26241 89%276$50,538$152,000$119 larger
Tarboro, NC 27886 89%426$52,850$133,200$136 larger
Grove Hill, AL 36451 89%944$54,417$152,400$124 smaller
Menominee, MI 49858 89%595$53,186$134,400$131 larger · more single-family homes
Prairie Du Chien, WI 53821 89%745$60,647$168,300$143 pricier homes ($29K more)
Antigo, WI 54409 89%666$53,576$123,300$133 larger · more single-family homes
Watseka, IL 60970 89%586$46,688$119,900$85 Very close on everything we compare
Silvis, IL 61282 89%715$64,398$160,100$137 more renters
Philipsburg, PA 16866 88%117$49,968$150,300$125 younger residents · 6 min longer 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.