This City Added 44 Square Miles to Accommodate Population Growth

By Melly Alazraki Published Aug 28, 9:50AM EDT

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This City Added 44 Square Miles to Accommodate Population Growth — © Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images

24/7 Wall St. Insight

Municipalities can annex land for expansion
Some growing cities, by population, also annex land to grow their area

To determine the cities annexing new land to accommodate population growth, reviewed data on historical city boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau’s TIGER/Line shapefile program. Cities were ranked based on the raw change in total boundary area from 2010 to 2023. Boundary definitions are at the place level and are from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only cities with at least 100 square miles of area in 2010 were considered. Supplemental data used to calculate population growth from 2010 to 2022 are from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey program and are five-year estimates. Note that changes in city boundary area over time may not be entirely due to annexation.

Population growth in 22 of the 25 cities on the list was well over 10% from 2010 to 2023. Considering where most of these cities are located this is likely not surprising as the recent trend of population migration has been to the South and to the Sun Belt. Indeed, cities in Texas, North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida comprise the list.

Why are we covering this

Some cities in the Midwest have been losing population and contending with urban blight, vacant properties, and nearly empty neighborhoods. Other cities, meanwhile, especially in Southern states and the Sub Belt, have been attracting population. This list shows how some cities have managed their growing population.

25. Savannah, GA

City boundary area in 2023: 113.7 sq. mi (+4.9 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 108.7 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +9.9%

24. Mesa, AZ

City boundary area in 2023: 142.0 sq. mi (+5.0 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 137.1 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +14.5%

23. Chattanooga, TN

City boundary area in 2023: 150.1 sq. mi (+5.5 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 144.5 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +10.2%

22. Port St. Lucie, FL

City boundary area in 2023: 120.8 sq. mi (+5.6 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 115.2 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +35.8%

21. Reno, NV

City boundary area in 2023: 111.8 sq. mi (+6.0 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 105.9 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +20.0%

20. Las Vegas, NV

19980331 42 Las Vegas, Nevada by David Wilson

19980331 42 Las Vegas, Nevada (CC BY 2.0) by David Wilson

City boundary area in 2023: 141.9 sq. mi (+6.0 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 135.9 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +11.2%

19. Columbia, SC

City boundary area in 2023: 141.1 sq. mi (+6.2 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 134.9 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +7.2%

18. Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, North Carolina by James Willamor

Raleigh, North Carolina (BY-SA 2.0) by James Willamor

City boundary area in 2023: 150.5 sq. mi (+6.5 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 144.0 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +21.6%

17. Greensboro, NC

City boundary area in 2023: 139.1 sq. mi (+7.3 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 131.8 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +12.9%

16. Colorado Springs, CO

City boundary area in 2023: 202.2 sq. mi (+7.3 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 194.9 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +18.7%

15. Bakersfield, CA

Aerial View of Downtown Bakersfield, California Skyline by Jacob Boomsma

Aerial View of Downtown Bakersfield, California Skyline (Shutterstock.com) by Jacob Boomsma

City boundary area in 2023: 151.7 sq. mi (+8.1 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 143.6 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +21.8%

14. Aurora, CO

City boundary area in 2023: 163.6 sq. mi (+8.2 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 155.4 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +23.3%

13. Orlando, FL

City boundary area in 2023: 119.5 sq. mi (+8.8 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 110.7 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +31.7%

12. Durham, NC

City boundary area in 2023: 117.6 sq. mi (+9.3 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 108.3 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +28.9%

11. Fort Worth, TX

Tarrant County Courthouse, Fort Worth, Texas by Ken Lund

Tarrant County Courthouse, Fort Worth, Texas (BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

City boundary area in 2023: 358.6 sq. mi (+10.7 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 347.9 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +31.1%

10. Charlotte, NC

City boundary area in 2023: 312.7 sq. mi (+13.1 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 299.7 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +24.0%

9. Henderson, NV

City boundary area in 2023: 121.0 sq. mi (+13.3 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 107.7 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +27.6%

8. Huntsville, AL

City boundary area in 2023: 225.2 sq. mi (+14.8 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 210.4 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +22.6%

7. Tucson, AZ

City boundary area in 2023: 242.5 sq. mi (+15.5 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 227.0 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +4.4%

6. Omaha, NE

City of Omaha, Nebraska Skylin... by Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

City of Omaha, Nebraska Skylin... (CC BY 2.0) by Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

City boundary area in 2023: 146.6 sq. mi (+16.0 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 130.6 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +20.1%

5. Buckeye, AZ

Main Street, Verrado, Buckeye, Arizona, 2007 by PghPhxNfk

Main Street, Verrado, Buckeye, Arizona, 2007 (CC BY-SA 4.0) by PghPhxNfk

City boundary area in 2023: 395.0 sq. mi (+19.6 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 375.4 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +116.4%

4. Lubbock, TX

City boundary area in 2023: 143.3 sq. mi (+19.7 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 123.6 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +16.2%

3. Austin, TX

Downtown Austin - Texas (USA) by Adriano Aurelio Araujo

Downtown Austin - Texas (USA) (BY 2.0) by Adriano Aurelio Araujo

City boundary area in 2023: 332.9 sq. mi (+27.9 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 305.1 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +25.4%

2. San Antonio, TX

City boundary area in 2023: 504.7 sq. mi (+38.0 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 466.7 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +12.0%

1. Houston, TX

HOUSTON, Texas by Thank You (25 Millions ) views

HOUSTON, Texas (CC BY 2.0) by Thank You (25 Millions ) views

City boundary area in 2023: 671.8 sq. mi (+44.3 sq. mi since 2010)
City boundary area in 2010: 627.5 sq. mi
Population growth, 2010 to 2022: +11.0%

About the Author Melly Alazraki →

Melly Alazraki worked in the finance world, on both the buy and sell sides, before turning to writing about it. Her work has been featured in Daily Finance, Aol.com, MSN Money, The Motley Fool, BloggingStock, and 24/7 Wall St.

Melly initially wrote about general stock market and economics news before becoming a specialist, covering the pharmaceutical beat for Daily Finance. Several of her articles have been cited in papers published in Cornell University Press, Berkeley Technology Law Journal, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and others.

Since joining 24/7 Wall St., Melly helped develop the site's data journalism side, focusing on economic, population trends, housing, and other topics.

Graduating with an honors commerce degree from the University of British Columbia, Melly uses her knowledge of economics, business, and experience to write data-supported pieces that aim to provide value and insight to readers.