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The unofficial “twin cities” of America: 14 US metros that have way more in common than you’d think
Everyone knows the stereotypes. Nashville is the place for country music and bachelorette parties. Portland is all rain and kombucha. Detroit is a comeback story still in the works.
The shorthand on these cities is well-worn but there may be surprises once you take a closer look. Scattered across the U.S. are cities that are clearly variations on the same theme, despite being hundreds of miles apart.
AnyWho used the Brookings Institution’s Metro Monitor to take a deeper look at economic performance across over 100 metropolitan areas These insights, along with data from the U.S. Census Bureau, paint a fuller picture of city pairings that have more in common than first meets the eye.
1. Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tenn.
Arguably the most obvious pairing on this list is Austin and Nashville. Both cities are built around vibrant music scenes. Austin is the self-declared live music capital of the world and Nashville is known as “Music City.”
Both cities have also spent the last decade embracing what happens when a city’s creative reputation becomes its biggest growth driver. In 2024, Austin surpassed one million residents, and Nashville’s population has been on the upswing for over 20 years. Both Austin and Nashville have seen significant in-migration from coastal cities and both have watched home prices skyrocket as a result.
Locals in each city will tell you their city is better, but it’s often for the same reasons. The only way to be sure who’s right is to take a trip yourself.
2. Charleston, S.C. and Savannah, Ga.
These two Southern metropolises are roughly four hours apart on I-95 and are potentially indistinguishable to an outsider. Both cities are coastal with antebellum architecture, Spanish moss, and a thriving food scene.
Both have also seen luxury real estate markets outpace comparable Southern metros, reaching about the same luxury entry-point as the national average, according to Realtor.com. The distinction that locals insist on, though, is that Charleston appears more polished, whereas Savannah maintains an eccentric vibe.
3. Pittsburgh, Pa. and Minneapolis, Minn.
At first glance, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis can seem like a strange pairing. Pittsburgh is a river city located in western Pennsylvania that made a name for itself in steel. Minneapolis is a lakeside metro in the upper Midwest known for its history of grain milling and retail.
However, both went through notable post-industrial reinvention in the late 20th century and came out with diversified economies categorized by healthcare, higher education opportunities, and technological hubs. Both are also consistently ranked among the most livable midsize cities in the U.S.
4. Asheville, N.C. and Boulder, Colo.
Two mountain cities that have become magnets for a specific demographic of outdoors-oriented, college-educated, and wealthy residents are next on the list.
Both cities have populations under 120,000, yet are notable for their restaurant quality, local brewery density, and volume of people interested in outdoors activities. Boulder has the University of Colorado and Asheville has the University of North Carolina Asheville. Additionally, both cities feature bustling housing markets that have made it challenging to afford to stay.
5. Richmond, Va. and Raleigh, N.C.
The mid-Atlantic and upper South converge in these two cities with a remarkably similar story. Both cities serve as state capitals with a significant university presence. They also both feature a craft beer scene known internationally and an economy that’s shifted more toward tech and professional services in recent years. Richmond and Raleigh boast similar population sizes and comparable cost-of-living profiles.
6. Boise, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah
Two of the fastest-growing metros in the American West over the last decade are paired together for a reason. Both are midsize Western cities with strong outdoor recreation options and a relatively low cost of living compared to their coastal peers.
They also have economies that have started to attract significant tech sector relocation. The Brookings Metro Monitor data ranked the Provo-Orem metro, adjacent to Salt Lake, among the top growth metros in the country, with Boise not far behind.
7. Memphis, Tenn. and New Orleans, La.
Memphis and New Orleans boast two of the greatest music scenes in the American South, making this pairing intuitive. Both cities sit on the same major river, just at different bends, and are centers for African American culture.
Memphis is the home of the blues and soul, and New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz. Each city also has complicated relationships with poverty, infrastructure, and population loss despite their cultural influence. Musically and culturally, Memphis and New Orleans have been uttered in the same conversation for their entire histories.
Cultural pairing under the surface
Each American city has its own identity and its own unique historical significance , but some metros have similarities that are certainly enough to make them near-twin cities. Whether it’s comparable food scenes, parallel cultural offerings or just a similar vibe, these surprise pairings are worth a visit, whether you’ve explored one or neither.
This story was produced by AnyWho and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
