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.

Reset

Towns most like Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450

Lake Waccamaw: median income $69,554, home value $264,200, $213/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Trappe, MD 21673 94%329$68,194$363,100$205 pricier homes ($99K more)
Morristown, IN 46161 94%541$78,603$220,600$214 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Idalou, TX 79329 94%1,325$67,059$220,200$208 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Franklin, ME 04634 93%895$67,589$264,600$166 Very close on everything we compare
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 93%454$80,357$293,100$204 pricier homes ($29K more)
Mathews, VA 23109 93%246$79,196$310,800$187 pricier homes ($47K more)
Rabun Gap, GA 30568 93%281$75,948$273,400$218 Very close on everything we compare
Hamilton, IN 46742 93%608$78,750$250,500$199 Very close on everything we compare
Tabor, IA 51653 93%1,040$71,319$230,200$176 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Stoddard, WI 54658 93%937$73,438$249,800$216 Very close on everything we compare
Brooks, ME 04921 92%864$63,646$210,300$200 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Spring Mills, PA 16875 92%453$71,250$307,700$211 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Ashley, OH 43003 92%485$69,852$230,800$190 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
South Rockwood, MI 48179 92%593$77,095$232,800$226 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Orfordville, WI 53576 92%815$63,750$225,000$197 cheaper homes ($39K less) · older homes
Saint Croix Falls, WI 54024 92%1,071$75,417$271,900$221 larger
Cecil, WI 54111 92%894$67,396$248,200$196 Very close on everything we compare
Askov, MN 55704 92%1,108$62,500$234,300$208 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Garretson, SD 57030 92%1,160$79,375$327,400$214 pricier homes ($63K more)
Fort Jones, CA 96032 92%2,441$72,951$320,100$252 pricier homes ($56K more)
Winchester, NH 03470 91%671$79,028$252,800$244 larger
Union, ME 04862 91%844$73,536$252,300$246 larger
Shaftsbury, VT 05262 91%660$71,417$253,600$208 Very close on everything we compare
Wolcott, VT 05680 91%775$72,917$227,700$267 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Big Island, VA 24526 91%226$85,729$241,200$232 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.