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 Wayland, MI 49348

Wayland: median income $82,512, home value $275,400, $206/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pulaski, WI 54162 97%191$80,594$265,000$248 Very close on everything we compare
Forsyth, GA 31029 96%671$76,334$247,900$175 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Macclenny, FL 32063 96%878$75,683$260,800$191 Very close on everything we compare
Harrington, DE 19952 95%585$76,791$282,600$208 Very close on everything we compare
Smiths Station, AL 36877 95%700$78,103$224,200$172 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Knoxville, TN 37924 95%468$80,112$251,200$200 Very close on everything we compare
Ashville, OH 43103 95%246$83,291$270,200$175 Very close on everything we compare
Westville, IN 46391 95%102$82,692$253,500$196 smaller
Strafford, MO 65757 95%543$85,243$235,500$185 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Maiden, NC 28650 94%544$74,922$229,000$185 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Adairsville, GA 30103 94%575$78,071$244,900$170 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Mount Airy, GA 30563 94%571$84,561$240,500$184 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Rocky Face, GA 30740 94%546$79,671$242,600$168 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Plant City, FL 33567 94%1,037$85,643$320,700$210 pricier homes ($45K more)
Powell, TN 37849 94%465$84,275$290,900$211 larger
Heath, OH 43056 94%248$80,014$253,900$193 Very close on everything we compare
Odessa, MO 64076 94%505$93,008$257,700$204 Very close on everything we compare
Inola, OK 74036 94%693$79,824$215,900$173 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Mount Vernon, TX 75457 94%838$83,916$249,800$178 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Victoria, TX 77905 94%1,153$88,585$227,500$178 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Oakland, ME 04963 93%804$77,708$247,200$237 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Greencastle, PA 17225 93%455$88,457$304,100$171 pricier homes ($29K more)
Stanley, NC 28164 93%560$79,728$310,300$189 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents
Chickamauga, GA 30707 93%540$74,360$235,500$162 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Jacksonville, FL 32220 93%878$81,792$254,700$172 older residents

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.