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 Watsontown, PA 17777

Watsontown: median income $67,188, home value $216,800, $134/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wauseon, OH 43567 96%380$70,417$189,600$158 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Camanche, IA 52730 96%696$64,543$177,200$141 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Litchfield, MN 55355 96%932$63,295$224,400$159 Very close on everything we compare
Waseca, MN 56093 96%870$73,038$221,100$144 larger
Melrose, MN 56352 96%953$73,721$229,100$131 Very close on everything we compare
Bellevue, OH 44811 95%312$70,060$172,100$136 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Edinburgh, IN 46124 95%495$64,466$184,700$140 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Buchanan, MI 49107 95%495$66,289$189,500$144 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Berlin, WI 54923 95%646$66,223$189,300$161 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Staples, MN 56479 95%962$59,920$191,700$140 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Kingfisher, OK 73750 95%1,193$69,931$229,100$126 Very close on everything we compare
Adams, NY 13605 94%191$70,045$191,100$136 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Bluffton, IN 46714 94%434$66,441$185,300$150 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Fort Wayne, IN 46819 94%432$63,947$168,100$152 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Mayville, WI 53050 94%620$71,985$210,600$170 Very close on everything we compare
Brillion, WI 54110 94%608$73,685$223,900$150 Very close on everything we compare
Neillsville, WI 54456 94%736$66,934$174,500$130 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Barron, WI 54812 94%810$63,100$161,700$137 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Wadena, MN 56482 94%981$64,439$169,800$133 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Bagley, MN 56621 94%1,015$63,721$185,000$140 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Palmyra, MO 63461 94%776$69,707$212,000$124 Very close on everything we compare
Boonville, MO 65233 94%853$68,320$210,400$143 larger
Springfield, KY 40069 93%503$70,788$194,200$134 Very close on everything we compare
Northwood, OH 43619 93%345$76,537$182,000$166 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Proctorville, OH 45669 93%344$67,500$189,200$156 cheaper homes ($28K 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.