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 Whitewater, MO 63785

Whitewater: median income $75,938, home value $206,100, $249/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Palermo, ME 04354 93%1,169$89,095$259,700$253 pricier homes ($54K more)
Groton, VT 05046 93%1,035$84,375$259,000$202 pricier homes ($53K more)
Wolcott, VT 05680 93%1,032$72,917$227,700$267 larger
East Fairfield, VT 05448 92%1,019$82,500$273,800$232 pricier homes ($68K more)
Falls, PA 18615 92%798$76,184$229,100$253 Very close on everything we compare
Cement City, MI 49233 92%440$81,250$229,600$196 larger
Skandia, MI 49885 92%640$81,172$241,200$247 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Mount Vernon, ME 04352 91%1,145$74,395$264,200$207 pricier homes ($58K more)
Irasburg, VT 05845 91%1,048$82,262$233,200$197 pricier homes ($27K more)
West Burke, VT 05871 91%1,059$74,572$277,900$209 pricier homes ($72K more)
Freehold, NY 12431 91%905$80,694$262,500$265 pricier homes ($56K more)
Arnoldsville, GA 30619 91%437$78,250$230,100$182 Very close on everything we compare
Homerville, OH 44235 91%486$76,634$279,100$224 pricier homes ($73K more)
Viola, WI 54664 91%433$72,898$171,100$204 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Monroe, ME 04951 90%1,192$81,300$220,300$191 Very close on everything we compare
Pickford, MI 49774 90%674$84,900$167,000$198 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Abbott, TX 76621 90%556$81,932$241,300$201 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents
Union, ME 04862 89%1,173$73,536$252,300$246 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Cabot, VT 05647 89%1,036$76,406$249,400$253 pricier homes ($43K more)
Marshallville, OH 44645 89%500$84,756$230,400$212 larger
Ellsworth, MI 49729 89%593$77,870$243,200$244 pricier homes ($37K more) · older homes
Cambridge, IA 50046 89%376$81,500$229,200$243 older homes
Wrenshall, MN 55797 89%657$87,039$257,400$229 pricier homes ($51K more)
Bartelso, IL 62218 89%89$91,250$217,800$193 larger
Perry, KS 66073 89%327$86,641$216,600$179 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.