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 Waco, TX 76706

Waco: median income $41,656, home value $197,000, $174/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowling Green, KY 42101 91%717$48,217$207,200$170 larger
Statesboro, GA 30458 87%901$52,038$231,300$177 pricier homes ($34K more)
Dekalb, IL 60115 84%853$47,043$208,600$172 6 min longer commute · older homes
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 83%1,072$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Hammond, LA 70401 83%399$50,653$211,000$144 smaller · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Greenville, NC 27834 82%1,168$48,935$174,500$154 older residents
Ruston, LA 71270 82%271$36,791$222,300$161 pricier homes ($25K more)
Las Cruces, NM 88001 82%567$33,087$163,800$154 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 81%574$48,932$197,500$170 smaller · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 81%461$41,127$134,300$120 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older residents
Troy, AL 36081 80%656$44,375$198,800$113 smaller
Cleveland, TN 37311 78%749$47,153$226,800$195 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents
Russellville, AR 72801 78%347$47,830$163,700$129 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Greensboro, NC 27405 77%1,044$47,431$174,900$164 older residents · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Valdosta, GA 31601 77%817$36,111$142,200$141 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Cookeville, TN 38501 77%739$52,145$284,600$199 pricier homes ($88K more) · older residents
Bowling Green, OH 43402 77%1,010$52,426$243,100$166 pricier homes ($46K more)
Stillwater, OK 74075 76%319$46,053$228,100$161 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Greensboro, NC 27401 75%1,043$47,972$156,500$177 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · more walkable
Spartanburg, SC 29303 75%909$48,295$159,500$137 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older residents
Spartanburg, SC 29306 75%908$41,356$177,500$152 smaller · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Valdosta, GA 31602 75%816$56,939$217,300$132 older residents · more single-family homes
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 75%976$43,639$208,600$159 smaller · older homes
Athens, GA 30601 74%817$39,219$215,400$365 smaller
Columbus, OH 43232 74%986$51,417$172,300$159 older residents · more walkable · older homes

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.