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 Woodhull, IL 61490

Woodhull: median income $65,625, home value $158,000, $68/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dayton, IA 50530 92%208$73,250$167,900— younger residents
Beach, ND 58621 92%786$67,000$124,800$69 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Emerson, NE 68733 91%340$64,479$132,600— cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents
Villisca, IA 50864 90%245$69,861$109,900$67 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Twin Valley, MN 56584 90%512$69,625$131,600$85 cheaper homes ($26K less) · newer homes
Oregon, MO 64473 89%267$63,313$135,900$68 newer homes
Bloomfield, NE 68718 89%391$60,250$139,200$65 larger
Perrysburg, NY 14129 88%587$68,542$158,100$57 newer homes
Cameron, WV 26033 88%519$55,972$153,600— larger
Ruthven, IA 51358 88%272$64,583$150,500$74 newer homes
Fairfax, MN 55332 88%323$62,361$144,300$92 larger
Clark, SD 57225 88%454$66,875$155,100$77 larger · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Ravenna, NE 68869 88%449$65,208$169,400$79 larger · younger residents
Deposit, NY 13754 87%769$61,000$132,400$81 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Elkland, PA 16920 87%672$60,000$157,100$73 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Ackley, IA 50601 87%171$66,250$127,200$86 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Mapleton, IA 51034 87%292$66,375$120,500$104 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Gibbon, MN 55335 87%318$62,206$149,300$98 larger
Hay Springs, NE 69347 87%644$76,133$116,300— cheaper homes ($42K less)
Sioux Rapids, IA 50585 86%276$71,346$120,600$84 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
Greene, IA 50636 86%175$70,066$154,700$86 larger
George, IA 51237 86%328$61,667$159,500$89 larger · more single-family homes
Schleswig, IA 51461 86%275$73,768$183,100— pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents
Avoca, IA 51521 86%264$73,769$202,800$73 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · younger residents
Winnebago, MN 56098 86%267$69,000$147,900$103 larger · younger residents

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.