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, NE 68069

Waterloo: median income $111,974, home value $365,100, $254/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Galena, MD 21635 96%1,082$101,618$402,000$258 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Rock Hill, NY 12775 95%1,122$112,600$398,400$228 pricier homes ($33K more)
Rocheport, MO 65279 95%256$103,516$332,700$211 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
North Bend, OH 45052 94%628$101,165$304,900$264 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Spicer, MN 56288 94%282$111,021$422,300$208 pricier homes ($57K more)
Westmoreland, NH 03467 93%1,225$104,444$351,800$240 Very close on everything we compare
Bowdoinham, ME 04008 92%1,350$108,479$405,500$330 pricier homes ($40K more)
Cedar, MI 49621 92%584$95,446$396,600$278 pricier homes ($32K more)
Custer, WI 54423 92%416$113,690$329,100$239 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Northford, CT 06472 91%1,217$105,729$405,200$264 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Bethlehem, CT 06751 91%1,193$108,929$410,900$249 pricier homes ($46K more) · more renters
Alexandria, OH 43001 91%721$93,804$387,400$216 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Valley, OH 45370 91%655$122,000$352,000$169 Very close on everything we compare
Mazomanie, WI 53560 91%360$98,409$358,000$228 younger residents
New Hartford, CT 06057 90%1,201$117,906$380,200$284 larger · younger residents
Andover, CT 06232 90%1,235$134,632$376,500$249 Very close on everything we compare
Morris, CT 06763 90%1,194$109,853$394,200$257 pricier homes ($29K more) · older homes
Athens, NY 12015 90%1,158$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Ghent, NY 12075 90%1,166$98,047$422,900$253 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents
Chestertown, NY 12817 90%1,155$93,393$327,600$316 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Cambridge, WI 53523 90%392$102,188$345,300$219 larger · younger residents
Cornish, NH 03745 89%1,228$91,821$296,000$292 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Columbia, CT 06237 89%1,239$127,000$361,500$243 larger · 6 min longer commute
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 89%1,254$108,476$401,700$267 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Feura Bush, NY 12067 89%1,151$125,521$390,700$219 pricier homes ($26K more) · 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.