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 Waynesville, NC 28785

Waynesville: median income $61,769, home value $310,300, $252/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Young Harris, GA 30582 96%64$59,360$329,900$212 smaller
Clayton, GA 30525 94%51$65,150$274,200$258 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Reeds Spring, MO 65737 93%584$63,811$256,900$198 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Park Rapids, MN 56470 90%1,005$67,500$291,100$192 Very close on everything we compare
Bethel, ME 04217 89%888$61,125$329,700$274 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Boyne City, MI 49712 89%677$74,033$294,800$318 Very close on everything we compare
Camdenton, MO 65020 89%568$62,392$265,200$231 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Llano, TX 78643 89%963$68,365$362,600$239 pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents
Buffalo, WY 82834 89%1,390$63,395$328,700$222 7 min shorter commute
Lakeside, AZ 85929 89%1,530$62,752$306,900$290 older residents
Cumberland, WI 54829 88%838$66,538$245,800$217 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · older homes
Rockport, TX 78382 88%975$75,135$270,900$253 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Dolores, CO 81323 88%1,418$75,393$392,000$291 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller
Belmont, NH 03220 87%820$68,242$316,200$280 Very close on everything we compare
Waldoboro, ME 04572 87%931$69,107$274,900$192 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · older homes
Lyndonville, VT 05851 87%848$68,488$227,200$177 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Prosperity, SC 29127 87%124$67,164$246,300$248 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 7 min longer commute
Guntersville, AL 35976 87%204$72,643$266,500$190 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520 87%522$62,176$225,600$230 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Polson, MT 59860 87%1,799$62,047$441,500$309 pricier homes ($131K more)
Hereford, AZ 85615 87%1,590$73,758$250,200$215 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Show Low, AZ 85901 87%1,529$59,779$280,300$309 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Madison, GA 30650 86%137$71,599$336,400$197 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Winchester, TN 37398 86%179$63,730$247,800$200 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
East Jordan, MI 49727 86%674$70,865$222,200$205 cheaper homes ($88K 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.