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 Waterloo, SC 29384

Waterloo: median income $51,384, home value $124,700, $279/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vincent, AL 35178 91%256$55,299$148,700$235 Very close on everything we compare
Gore, OK 74435 91%742$53,580$146,500$250 Very close on everything we compare
Saint David, AZ 85630 90%1,631$52,146$149,300$189 smaller
Roaring River, NC 28669 89%142$47,358$137,500$325 younger residents
Mooresburg, TN 37811 88%154$52,047$163,100$246 pricier homes ($38K more) · more single-family homes
Gladstone, VA 24553 87%286$50,385$140,500$226 smaller
Purlear, NC 28665 87%135$45,685$167,400$310 pricier homes ($43K more)
Alton, VA 24520 86%232$42,841$120,500$289 smaller
La Luz, NM 88337 86%1,373$60,597$158,600$212 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Grady, AL 36036 85%283$47,557$141,700— smaller · younger residents
Capitan, NM 88316 85%1,342$54,080$123,600$299 smaller · older residents
Vansant, VA 24656 84%196$43,646$95,600— cheaper homes ($29K less)
Mount Gilead, NC 27306 84%134$57,934$171,800$226 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Mc Dermott, OH 45652 84%316$42,708$137,000— older homes
Wayne City, IL 62895 84%455$51,131$117,800— smaller · more single-family homes
Frostproof, FL 33843 83%458$50,503$99,000$180 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Ider, AL 35981 83%204$45,556$152,200— pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · younger residents
Muscadine, AL 36269 83%193$44,618$127,500$194 smaller · younger residents
Butler, TN 37640 83%138$55,402$174,000$304 pricier homes ($49K more) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Macon, NC 27551 82%275$59,375$175,000$312 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Bostic, NC 28018 82%79$50,727$169,200$202 pricier homes ($45K more) · more single-family homes
Kinston, AL 36453 82%321$54,485$108,900— more single-family homes · older homes
Five Points, AL 36855 82%206$46,765$123,100$229 smaller
Old Fort, TN 37362 82%191$52,019$122,700$244 younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Kingston, OK 73439 82%836$55,865$171,100$187 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger

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.