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 Waunakee, WI 53597

Waunakee: median income $117,000, home value $493,200, $243/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yorktown, VA 23693 97%803$124,433$488,400$225 Very close on everything we compare
Charlottesville, VA 22911 95%676$128,235$454,100$230 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Midlothian, VA 23114 95%735$112,738$409,100$220 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55127 95%223$117,917$433,200$223 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Rochester, MN 55902 95%162$120,611$454,800$213 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80919 95%853$119,518$605,900$214 pricier homes ($113K more)
Glen Allen, VA 23060 94%733$104,468$409,900$224 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Kennett Square, PA 19348 93%747$123,526$543,100$231 pricier homes ($50K more) · older homes
Akron, OH 44321 93%425$119,178$363,700$185 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Chanhassen, MN 55317 93%234$140,385$539,000$227 pricier homes ($46K more)
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 92%510$124,189$420,000$231 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 92%672$113,720$372,900$192 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger
Raleigh, NC 27613 92%761$123,966$520,600$249 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 92%693$119,250$481,600$204 Very close on everything we compare
Knoxville, TN 37932 92%575$119,703$463,100$223 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Victor, NY 14564 91%607$115,625$353,900$218 cheaper homes ($139K less) · older residents
Stillwater, MN 55082 91%213$115,040$474,400$232 larger · older homes
Williamsburg, VA 23185 90%784$105,431$429,500$220 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Yorktown, VA 23692 90%801$109,066$417,200$222 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Hillsborough, NC 27278 90%737$105,887$414,100$235 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 5 min longer commute
Raleigh, NC 27614 90%761$128,834$577,400$231 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger
Longwood, FL 32779 90%1,095$121,826$480,200$249 older homes
Birmingham, AL 35244 90%694$113,450$412,000$176 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Louisville, KY 40245 90%398$122,948$445,300$182 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Mason, OH 45040 90%376$133,240$440,000$209 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 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.