20+ Fastest-Growing Cities In The US

Over 27 million Americans moved in 2021.¹ While some stayed close to home, others ventured to new cities and states to explore all the U.S. has to offer. But what’s attracting new residents and which are the fastest growing cities in the U.S.?

Our study looked at census population data with consideration for new residential buildings, GDP and employment rates to identify the top growing cities with economic prosperity and hot real estate markets to accommodate their growth.

Here are a few of our key findings and the 20 fastest-growing cities in America as we enter 2023:

Key Findings:

Fastest-Growing Cities:

1. Cape Coral – Fort Myers, Florida

Prior to the devastation of Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers and Cape Coral was the fastest growing area in the country. In fact, Florida nearly swept the board of fastest-growing cities, earning six of the top 10 spots and leading the pack with the Cape Coral – Fort Myers metropolitan area. These cities are located on a peninsula in southwest Florida, surrounded by coasts that attract tourists and new residents alike.

Fort Myers ranked second overall for largest population growth, and Cape Coral wasn’t far behind in fifth place. Both cities also ranked second for new residential building permits, indicating that the cities aren’t expecting growth to slow anytime soon. 

2. North Port, Florida

Up the western coast of Florida is the city of North Port in Sarasota County. The city is known for its natural springs, including Warm Mineral Springs Park, where the spring-fed pool maintains an 85ºF temperature year-round and its abundance of rich minerals are celebrated for potential healing properties.

Residents that prefer a saltwater dip don’t have far to travel to reach the Gulf Coast, and the city encompasses many of Florida’s other great qualities, too. Klaus Gonche is a Compass real estate advisor who’s seen his fair share of interstate moves to the Sunshine State.

“Our year-round weather is a major magnet for both retirees and young professionals who now have more flexibility to work remotely,” he says. “Another major factor is our local tax environment with no state income tax.” 

3. Winter Haven, Florida

The Chain of Lakes City, just east of Tampa, may not have miles of beach access, but it does have over 50 lakes to enjoy. Families looking for a break from swimming and sunning at freshwater beaches are also just a 36-minute drive from Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Recreation opportunities and affordable living are significant factors for families planning their next move, according to Gina Baker, real estate analyst with Fit Small Business, who says, “Florida, Texas and North Carolina are among the most popular destinations for movers. These areas are not only in warm weather climates, but they allow for outdoor activities, a semi-metro environment and more affordable living expenses and home prices than New York, New Jersey or California.”

Winter Haven ranked fifth for overall population growth and 10th for residential building permits to account for the influx of new residents. The city’s economically strong, too, with the sixth-highest GDP growth of our city study.

4. New Braunfels, Texas

New Braunfels is located between Texas’ capital city of Austin and San Antonio, right along I-35 in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The city’s known for its Hispanic and German heritages and kicks off each fall with the Wurstfest sausage festival.

If we counted population growth alone, New Braunfels easily wins with an explosive 8.3% increase between 2020 and 2021. However, the city’s metropolitan GDP growth was the lowest of our top 10 cities, with a 10% decrease in 2020. 

5. Port St. Lucie, Florida

Port St. Lucie is nestled between Orlando and Miami along Florida’s southeast “Treasure Coast.” Nature preserves and nearby beaches offer plenty of outdoor recreation space, while sports fans can enjoy the New York Mets’ annual training camp each spring and gorgeous green golf courses year-round.

This marks our fourth Florida city in the top five, which real estate professional Bill Samuel of Blue Ladder Development attributes to great weather and tax benefits.

“A large portion of America’s population is entering retirement and these individuals typically prefer to move to areas with warmer climates and communities/amenities geared towards retirement,” he says. “In addition to warmer climates, retirees are focusing on states that lower income and property taxes.”

6. Daytona Beach, Florida

Daytona Beach has long been a coastal destination for tourists, offering beautiful beaches on Florida’s east coast and welcoming motorsports enthusiasts each February for the Daytona 500 race.

The city’s population is booming, with a 3.6% increase in 2021, as more Americans decide the beach is something they want in their daily lives. Residential building permits in the metro area, which include Deltona, Florida, also increased 38% to keep up with incoming residents. 

7. Edinburg, Texas

Edinburg is a southern Texas city in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley and just north of the U.S.–Mexico border. The city’s a growing hub for health care and home to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Its location near the border makes it an ideal spot for economic growth, and the city’s GDP increased 1.7% in 2020 – 18^th in our study. The population passed 100,000 in 2020 and continued to grow 2.4% to 102,483 in 2021. 

8. Madera, California

Madera is the largest city in the identically named Madera County of Central California. The county includes parts of the Sierra National Forest and Yosemite National Park in its borders west of Madera city.

The city ranked fifth for residential building permits with a 46% increase in 2021, and ranked 30^th or higher for all other study metrics. 

9. Palm Bay, Florida

Palm Bay is the perfect place to grow for residents who enjoy hiking, boating and other outdoor activities along the central Florida coast. There’s no shortage of family fun with 29 parks, including space for paintball, skateboarding, golf and more.

Despite Palm Bay’s growing engineering and technology industries, the city’s employment rates increased just 5% in 2021. Still, the population grew to 122,944 and the city continues to invest in residential housing.

10. Roseville, California

Roseville is part of the Sacramento metro area of Northern California and a dream destination for shoppers. The Westfield Galleria at Rosefield is home to several luxury retailers and is one of several major shopping centers in the city.

Roseville rounds out our top 10 fastest-growing cities, with a population increase of 2.3% and a total of 151,901 residents.

11. Burlington, North Carolina

Burlington is under an hour’s drive from other major North Carolina cities Greensboro, Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, and offers the beauty of North Carolina at a much more affordable rate – a strong benefit for many Americans, says Michael Kotler of eXp Realty.

“North Carolina’s another attractive option to escape the northeast winters, and get much more bang for your buck, housing-wise,” he says. “These people are generally 100% remote, and they figure, why deal with subpar weather, high taxes and congested areas when they don’t have to anymore?”

12. St. George, Utah

St. George is part of the Greater Zion area of southwest Utah along the Arizona border. Its location is unique in that it’s surrounded by three distinct ecoregions: the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau and Great Basin, and its climate is much warmer than the rest of the state. 

13. Auburn, Alabama

The college town of Auburn is situated in eastern Alabama and considered part of the Deep South. The city has plenty to do and see, and is home to several museums, the Donald E. Davis Arboretum, and Auburn University. Adventurous residents can also explore the Tuskegee National Forest, just west of Auburn.

14. Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville is situated near the Blue Ridge Mountains with stunning views and nature trails to enjoy the South Carolina Upcountry. The pedestrian-friendly downtown is also a hit for family entertainment with a variety of small shops, art galleries and more.

15. Murfreesboro, Tennessee

American history buffs have plenty to learn in Murfreesboro and can check out the city’s heritage center, the Oaklands Mansion and wetlands, and the Stones River National Battlefield. There are plenty of family-friendly activities, too, including the Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History and the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring.

Tennessee has plenty to do and see, and at an affordable price. Erik Wright of New Horizon Home Buyers has seen how a great economy and low living costs attract new residents.

“Many cities in Tennessee boast about having the most considerable six-figure job growth, and this draws people to these cities,” he says. “Some other cities have a high cost of living and little possibility for that same job growth, including Honolulu and, surprisingly, New York City, which is why people are leaving.”

16. Idaho Falls, Idaho

Idaho Falls has something for everyone, including the Idaho Falls Zoo, Wes Deist Aquatic Center, a civic auditorium and even the War Bonnet Round Up rodeo, which invites over 450 cowboys and cowgirls to saddle up for Idaho’s oldest rodeo.

17. Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City is east of Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota, a stunning mountain range with views of Mt. Rushmore and adjacent to Badlands National Park and several other national parks and monuments. This vibrant city also offers unique shopping, dining and cultural experiences for fun in and out of the parks.

18. Round Rock, Texas

Round Rock is one of Austin’s largest suburbs, just 15 miles north of the capital city in the Texas Hill Country. The city is known as the Sports Capital of Texas and has a thriving economy and growing industry health care and technology employers. Recent surveys say that 90% of citizens are satisfied with their quality of life,² so it’s no surprise big-city residents are willing to try the suburbs instead.

“By and large, we’re seeing people move from one major city (like NYC) to another, or to the close-in suburbs of such cities. The vast majority of moves that occur are within a given city or metro area (upwards of 90%); however, the increased adoption of remote work has allowed for more flexibility than in previous years,” shares Voyo Popovic, CEO of Piece of Cake Moving & Storage.

19. Conway, Arkansas

Conway has its roots deep in education with three college campuses in town, including Hendrix College, University of Central Arkansas and Central Baptist College. This may contribute to citizens’ community-mindedness, and residents average much younger than most cities with a median age of 27.3.³

20. Pocatello, Idaho

West of the Rocky Mountains and the famed Oregon Trail is Pocatello, the 20^th fastest-growing city on our list. With over 32 parks,³ biking and hiking trails, and the Nordic Center for cross-country skiing, it’s an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The city was founded as the “Gateway to the Northwest,” settled by immigrants during the gold rush before transitioning to agriculture.⁴

Fastest-Growing States In The US

Southern cities with comfortable climates and strong economies took a majority of our ranking positions.

Florida is by far the fastest-growing state, claiming four of our top five cities with six placements in the top 20. It’s hard to beat beautiful beaches on either coast, and residents can choose between a number of bustling cities for business or nightlife, or smaller suburbs and country towns with freshwater lakes and wetlands to explore.

Texas came in second, with a booming population and three cities earning placements in our top 20 list. The warm weather across seasons and lack of income tax are especially attractive qualities for remote workers and retirees looking to escape harsh winters and congested cities.

California is our third most popular state for Americans looking for their next move. There’s no shortage of business opportunities across large and midsize cities. New Californians can choose between sunny southern cities, desert destinations and the moderate oceanic climate of Northern California.

Regional Migrations

Southern states are growing rapidly with a 24.61% population increase in 2021. The West is also growing steadily at 16.46% year over year.⁴ The mild climates of these regions play a large role in attracting new residents, as does the economic opportunity of growing metropolitan areas.

The Midwest and Northeast each lost more residents than they gained in 2021. Midwest states lost over 531,000 residents, resulting in a 33.75% decrease. The Northeast’s loss was even more extreme, with over 448,000 residents moving outside the region for a 102.71% decrease.

The Bottom Line

Remote work has opened opportunities for more individuals and families to move without worrying about a new job, so they can live in a city that suits them.

Climate, recreation, community and cost of living are all major considerations that are driving Americans to move away from densely populated cities to suburbs and warm weather metros.

Planning your next big move? Compare your mortgage options and decide what’s right for you and your dream home.

Methodology

This city study was completed using data sourced in September 2022. We began by selecting the 200 fastest-growing cities based on census population data alone, then considered these additional population and economic metrics. Weights for each metric are available below:

Sources: