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, AL 35677

Waterloo: median income $51,964, home value $206,000, $178/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milano, TX 76556 94%593$52,328$153,800— cheaper homes ($52K less)
Fenwick, MI 48834 93%588$53,958$184,500$205 Very close on everything we compare
Copemish, MI 49625 93%667$52,583$182,300$224 Very close on everything we compare
Harwood, TX 78632 92%664$62,500$187,400$214 smaller
Mount Vernon, AR 72111 91%236$52,059$178,700$147 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · more renters
Cedar Grove, TN 38321 90%72$56,474$157,900$196 cheaper homes ($48K less) · more renters
Bismarck, AR 71929 90%300$55,747$213,600$157 larger
Clearville, PA 15535 89%623$57,212$205,200$143 Very close on everything we compare
Laconia, IN 47135 89%239$48,611$216,200$174 smaller · more single-family homes
Everton, MO 65646 89%361$52,708$168,700$170 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Big Cabin, OK 74332 89%422$60,781$167,500$212 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Reedy, WV 25270 88%452$44,129$200,800— smaller · more renters
Luttrell, TN 37779 88%252$51,357$162,900$185 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Whitleyville, TN 38588 88%168$44,583$209,200$222 smaller · younger residents
Bentley, MI 48613 88%654$58,846$160,900— cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Windsor, ME 04363 87%1,169$63,178$228,800$247 Very close on everything we compare
Washington, ME 04574 87%1,176$59,861$195,200$173 6 min shorter commute
Corinna, ME 04928 87%1,204$56,547$163,200$213 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Hiwassee, VA 24347 87%431$55,156$159,600$172 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Sinks Grove, WV 24976 87%454$46,383$206,400— smaller
Jumping Branch, WV 25969 87%430$60,250$182,300— older residents · older homes
Edgemoor, SC 29712 87%395$62,656$208,900$224 6 min shorter commute
Elora, TN 37328 87%92$64,550$146,200$189 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Gruetli Laager, TN 37339 87%136$49,063$148,300$167 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · older residents
Palmer, TN 37365 87%139$54,907$130,600$152 cheaper homes ($75K 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.