Similarly named municipalities in the same state

[paulthemapguy]

Another one from Illinois I remembered and nobody has mentioned: Rochelle and Roselle.

I used to get this confused a lot.
Lots of Illinois posts so far, but I'll add:

Illinois has an Elwood and an Elmwood.
Illinois also has a Morris, a Mt. Morris, and a Morrison.

And not to be forgotten, Minook, Minooka, and Mokena.

Minonk*, pronounced "mih-NONK."  Rhymes with "honk."
I also discovered that there's a Norris and Norris City in addition to Morris, Morrison, and Mount Morris.

[74/171FAN]

Also, PA contains these combos: Mifflinburg/Mifflintown/Mifflin/Mifflinville, Millersburg/Millerstown/Millersville

Pottstown/Pottsville and Elizabethtown/Elizabethville get to be within an hour of each other.  I am sure that is not confusing at all   

[kphoger]

Pittsburg and Pittsfield NH.

Illinois has towns by those names, too.  I'm familiar with both of them, as Pittsfield is where US-54 deviates from I-72 on its way to Missouri, and I used to live near Pittsburg.  But I've never gotten them mixed up.  Might be because they're 200 miles apart.

[briantroutman]

Also, PA contains these combos: Mifflinburg/Mifflintown/Mifflin/Mifflinville, Millersburg/Millerstown/Millersville

Pottstown/Pottsville and Elizabethtown/Elizabethville get to be within an hour of each other.  I am sure that is not confusing at all   

There's also Grantham and Grantville, both unincorporated places adjacent to freeway exits on opposite fringes of Harrisburg (Grantham along US 15 to the southwest, Grantville along I-81 to the northeast).

And speaking of Harrisburg, let's not overlook the various Paxton Townships, Paxtonia, and Paxtang, (plus Paxton Street) all of which (I believe) were derived from a corruption of the Lenape name describing Paxton Creek. But the various Paxton names are scattered around the area, and some of them are not particularly near the namesake creek.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky has a Burnside and a Bernstadt, and they're in adjacent counties. There's also an East Bernsdadt, which is actually larger than Bernstadt. EB is about an hour away from here and is on the way to Burnside, and I've heard more than one local call it "East Burnside."

[ethanhopkin14]

Nothing adjacent or intentional. Non-US is allowed, using equivalents of states.

Allen and McAllen, Texas (lesser is 105k)
Benton and Bentonville, Arkansas (lesser is 36k)
Otego, Owego, Otsego, and Oswego, New York (second highest is 18k)
Medford and Medfield, Massachusetts (lesser is 12k)
Rochester (city) and Rochester (town), New York (lesser is 7k)
Belmar and Bellmawr, New Jersey (lesser is slightly under 6k)
Boston and Bolton, Massachusetts (lesser is slightly under 5k)

Kingsland, Kingsville and Kingwood, Texas
Brownwood, Brownsville and Brownfield, Texas
Richland Hills and North Richland Hills, Texas

Funny thing is none of these examples are even in the same region of Texas as their like named counterparts, which is good for local traffic, I guess.  If you live far away from Kingwood, Kingsville or Kingsland, like I do, you better listen carefully to which destination you were told to go to because you might end up north of Houston, southwest of Corpus Christi or in Central Texas, respectively, while meaning to go to the other place!!

There are at least three different Oak Hills in Texas, in various states of municipalities.

[hobsini2]

Glad someone mentioned Minooka, Mokena and Minonk in Illinois. There are a few in Wisconsin that always annoyed me besides Berlin and New Berlin.  Alma & Algoma and Waupun & Waupaca.

[74/171FAN]

And speaking of Harrisburg, let's not overlook the various Paxton Townships, Paxtonia, and Paxtang, (plus Paxton Street) all of which (I believe) were derived from a corruption of the Lenape name describing Paxton Creek. But the various Paxton names are scattered around the area, and some of them are not particularly near the namesake creek.

I should just go ahead and mention Harrisville at the intersection of PA 8 and PA 58.

[ahj2000]

NC has the problem that its counties have cities that are named similar to them, but on the other side of the state. Example: Lenoir (Caldwell Co, Northeast "corner"  of the state) and Lenoir Co (way out east)

Also: Greenville NC/SC and Greensboro get confused by outsiders

[ethanhopkin14]

NC has the problem that its counties have cities that are named similar to them, but on the other side of the state. Example: Lenoir (Caldwell Co, Northeast "corner"  of the state) and Lenoir Co (way out east)

Also: Greenville NC/SC and Greensboro get confused by outsiders

Texas has a bunch.  These come to mind:

Caldwell
Austin
Houston
Henderson
Tyler
Rusk
Burleson
Sherman
Terrell
Cameron
Travis

Most are separated by at least 100 miles.

Then there are counties that are the shorthand version of their seat.

Brownwood in Brown County
Hillsborough in Hill County
Beeville in Bee County
Kerrville in Kerr County
Belton in Bell County

Then there are 2 that the city is in the county of the same name, but not the seat.

Blanco in Blanco County
Hays in Hays County

Then the fun fact:

Dallas is the seat of Dallas County, but it is commonly thought that they were named after different people.  So technically, Dallas County isn't named after Dallas, Texas, and it's kinda a coincidence Dallas is in Dallas County.  (The person the city and county is named after is not known)

[golden eagle]

There's a lot in MS:
Benton and Bentonia (same county)
Madisonville and Madison (right beside each other)
Jefferson county and Jefferson Davis county (only a county apart)
Jackson county and Jackson, MS  (people think Hinds county (actual) is Jackson county but it's actually on the coast)
Pearl and Pearl City
Greenville and Greenwood (about 50 miles apart, both located off of US 82)
Poplar Springs and Poplar Creek (right beside each other)
Brooksville, Booneville, and Burnsville (all on the east side of the state along 45)
And there's more than that...

Quitman County and the city of Quitman (near opposite ends of the state)
Alcorn County and Alcorn State University (also opposite ends of the state)
Ridgeland and Richland
Flora and Florence
Forest and Forrest County
Columbia and Columbus
Walnut and Walnut Grove
(perhaps a stretch) Bay St. Louis and Bay Springs

[kphoger]

(perhaps a stretch) Bay St. Louis and Bay Springs

Yeah... no.  If that counts, then...

Santa Clarita & Santa Monica, CA   

[jlam]

In Colorado we have:

Carbonate and Carbondale
Castle Pines and Castle Rock
Center and Central City
Holly and Holyoke
Jamestown and Johnstown
La Jara and La Junta
Mead and Meeker
Ordway and Ouray
Raymer and New Raymer
Sheridan and Sheridan Lake
Silverton and Silverthorne
Walden and Walsenburg

Some of these are a stretch and there are probably a lot more that I'm missing.

[oscar]

I remember reading the Big Island of Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai all had places named Waimea.

Still do, though for postal purposes the one on the Big Island is Kamuela, and the one on Oahu is Maunawai.

Two Kailuas as well, though the one on the Big Island is better known as Kailua-Kona

Kauai has a Kilauea, at the other end of the state from the more famous Kilauea volcano (postally Volcano).

[7/8]

Ontario:
Bradford, Brantford, and Brampton (more so the first two)
Milton and Malton
Thornhill and Thornbury

At my first job, I was told the next site was in Tecumseh and for some reason, I was thinking of New Tecumseth and almost went there. That would've been bad since they're 4 hours apart!

[skluth]

I live in Palm Springs. Nearby are Palm Desert, Thousand Palms, and Twentynine Palms. Desert is also a popular theme. Along with the previously mentioned Palm Desert are Desert Hot Springs, Desert Center, Desert Shores, and Desert Camp. My favorite local names are those that don't fit this category but fit the "my god it's freakin' hot here" concept like Thermal, Mecca, and Oasis.

[Dirt Roads]

Martinsburg and New Martinsville, WV. (I've always wondered if New Martinsville was named to distinguish it from Martinsville, Va.; if West Virginia hadn't broken from Virginia, the two would still be in the same state.

Regarding West Virginia, I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned Charles Town and Charleston.  Plus, there was another Charles Town along the Ohio River in the Northern Panhandle, now known as Wellsburg.  All three are county seats and at one time were were considered very important cities in Virginia before the Civil War (just behind Wheeling, Parkersburg and possibly Clarksburg).  The remaining small town of Charles Town is still well known for the Charles Town Races, a thoroughbred betting facility and (more recently) casino.

[mgk920]

Wisconsin has Menominie and Menomonee Falls, (plus Menominee Michigan, which is on the Wisconsin border). Note that they're spelled differently.

Also Menomonee County (both in Wisconsin and Michigan).  They are all spelled differently because the name of the Tribe does not directly translate into English.

Mike

[mgk920]

Wisconsin has Menominie and Menomonee Falls, (plus Menominee Michigan, which is on the Wisconsin border). Note that they're spelled differently.

Not to mention all the cities and towns that have the "wau" syllable. This is just form memory, so I'm sure I'm missing a few:
Milwaukee
Waukesha
Pewaukee
Waunakee
Wausau
Packwaukee
Waupun
Waupaca
Wautoma
Kewaunee
Wauwatosa

And then there is Shorewood, a suburb of Milwaukee, and Shorewood Hills, a suburb of Madison.
And the Milwaukee suburbs or Greendale, Greenfield, and Glendale.

Near Appleton is Sherwood, WI.

Also South Milwaukee and West Milwaukee.

And the Green Bay suburb of Ashwaubenon.

Reedfield, Reedsburg and Reedsville, well scattered throughout Wisconsin.

Mike.

[GaryV]

Houghton and Houghton Lake, MI - both named for the same guy, but 375 miles apart.

[SP Cook]

Regarding West Virginia, I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned Charles Town and Charleston. 
–

The remaining small town of Charles Town is still well known for the Charles Town Races, a thoroughbred betting facility and (more recently) casino.

By FAR the most confused pair in the state.  Often by DC types who actually think Charles Town is the capital, or thus that people in Charleston can just drive over in a few minutes. 

Some others are Weston and Westover; Terra Alta and just plain Alta; Man and Van; West Union and just plain Union (which are very far apart) ; Grant Town (always pronounced as "Grant's Town"  by locals), Grantsville, and Granville; and Petersburg and Peterstown.  Although Petersburg is more often confused with the one in Virginia.

[iowahighways]

Some more for Iowa:

Someone mentioned Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids on the Cedar River. There’s also Iowa Falls and Iowa City on the Iowa River.

Likewise, Rock Rapids and Rock Valley are both found on the Rock River in northwest Iowa, and Rock Falls, Rockford, Marble Rock, and Shell Rock are all along the Shell Rock River.

Northwest Iowa has Sioux City, the smaller Sioux Center, and the even smaller Sioux Rapids.

North Liberty, West Liberty, New Liberty, Liberty Center, and Libertyville. The first three are within 40 miles of each other.

Hampton and New Hampton are both county seats about 50 miles apart.

Dallas Center and Melcher-Dallas are also about 50 miles apart. The latter was a pair of separate neighboring cities that merged in 1986.

Creston and Preston. One letter difference, 215 miles apart.

Pleasant Hill and Pleasantville, which are only about 20 miles apart. And then there’s Mount Pleasant.

Fairfax, Fairbank, and Fairfield can all be found in eastern Iowa, as are Riverdale, Riverside, and River Junction.

Tiffin and Tipton are only about 30 miles apart.

Urbana and Urbandale. Three more letters and about 48,000 more people in the latter.

There are quite a few “Lake” places in Iowa, but only 60 miles of US 71 separate Spirit Lake and Storm Lake.

Edit: I'll add Coralville, a suburb of Iowa City, and Coalville, a bedroom community for Fort Dodge.

And then there are Wilton, Milton, and Welton, all scattered throughout eastern Iowa. Wilton actually called itself Wilton Junction for many years until ZIP codes came along; in 1972 they officially dropped the Junction.

[LilianaUwU]

There's two Saint-Fabien in neighboring regional municipalities in Québec, one on QC 132 near Rimouski and one on QC 283 south of Montmagny (the latter being Saint-Fabien-de-Panet).

[mgk920]

I can envision someone from one of the coasts confusing Des Moines and Dubuque, IA.

Mike

[frankenroad]

A few more for Ohio

Fairfield, Fairfax, Fairborn, Fairlawn.  Respectfully, suburbs of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland.

Milford and Milford Center (about 100 miles apart),

Camden, Canton, and Canfield.

Columbus and Columbus Grove (also about 100 miles apart)

Washington Court House and Old Washington (neither of which is in Washington County)

Westville and Westerville