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 Waite Park, MN 56387

Waite Park: median income $59,009, home value $232,200, $169/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pensacola, FL 32534 90%1,103$58,992$219,400$164 larger
Evansville, IN 47715 86%628$60,897$210,600$152 larger
Devils Lake, ND 58301 86%282$59,515$205,000$154 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 85%871$49,323$194,000$163 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more renters
Lakeland, FL 33805 85%1,381$62,661$197,500$178 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Northport, AL 35476 85%921$61,154$221,400$176 older homes
Gulfport, MS 39507 85%1,084$54,657$217,800$145 larger
Alamosa, CO 81101 84%820$54,844$240,400$183 larger
Cheyenne, WY 82007 84%613$58,745$234,200$200 larger · more homeowners
Littleton, NH 03561 83%1,098$56,746$282,900$213 pricier homes ($51K more) · older homes
Wichita, KS 67210 83%569$59,082$182,300$155 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents
Gallup, NM 87301 83%1,028$58,772$168,500$149 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · older homes
Goldsboro, NC 27534 82%1,105$62,574$208,000$160 larger
Lake City, FL 32025 82%1,234$55,004$189,800$163 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Gainesville, FL 32609 82%1,271$49,406$178,900$187 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older homes
Wahpeton, ND 58075 82%135$68,537$184,400$117 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older homes
Saint Robert, MO 65584 82%544$63,328$210,000$127 Very close on everything we compare
Alexandria, LA 71303 82%989$67,156$244,200$143 larger
Weatherford, TX 76086 82%904$60,578$258,100$199 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Clute, TX 77531 82%1,143$73,240$260,800$149 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Dalton, GA 30720 81%889$69,369$249,800$146 larger
Brunswick, GA 31525 81%1,199$69,493$216,300$186 larger
Live Oak, FL 32064 81%1,216$50,984$165,500$154 cheaper homes ($67K less) · older homes
Indianapolis, IN 46214 81%566$59,178$201,800$141 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Kansas City, MO 64136 81%451$51,867$190,200$157 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller

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.