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 Waxhaw, NC 28173

Waxhaw: median income $150,597, home value $608,000, $231/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cumming, GA 30041 97%198$152,564$574,300$219 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Saint Johns, FL 32259 97%338$150,736$533,400$237 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Peoria, AZ 85383 96%1,793$145,546$661,400$267 pricier homes ($53K more)
Cumming, GA 30040 95%201$137,211$526,100$219 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Frisco, TX 75036 95%929$151,645$564,500$229 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Gilbert, AZ 85298 95%1,769$156,425$652,400$291 pricier homes ($44K more)
Odessa, FL 33556 94%481$149,722$625,200$266 smaller
New Braunfels, TX 78132 94%1,079$135,315$620,300$212 smaller
San Antonio, TX 78260 94%1,096$154,590$498,100$190 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller
Saint Augustine, FL 32092 93%347$131,020$489,800$216 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Mckinney, TX 75072 93%916$165,682$502,700$210 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Chandler, AZ 85249 92%1,773$153,633$660,600$273 pricier homes ($53K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Argyle, TX 76226 91%948$180,982$606,100$206 higher income ($30K more)
Dripping Springs, TX 78620 91%1,061$153,477$676,500$239 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80908 91%1,349$133,965$705,400$237 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Phoenix, AZ 85083 91%1,786$149,087$612,700$267 smaller
Celina, TX 75009 90%923$168,250$515,400$185 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Plano, TX 75094 90%919$171,476$539,200$193 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Aledo, TX 76008 90%980$168,314$493,200$205 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller
Boerne, TX 78015 90%1,105$162,487$492,400$206 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller
Monument, CO 80132 90%1,358$161,670$773,100$225 pricier homes ($165K more) · smaller
Austin, TX 78737 89%1,052$168,920$765,000$270 pricier homes ($157K more) · smaller
Oviedo, FL 32766 88%433$147,552$564,400$250 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Keller, TX 76248 88%956$171,804$576,600$228 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Plainfield, IL 60585 87%617$155,511$453,200$216 cheaper homes ($155K less) · smaller

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.