These Are America’s Fastest Growing Big Cities

Special Report

Published: August 12, 2023 12:51 pm

Last Updated: August 12, 2023 12:59 pm

Over the last five years, the U.S. population grew by 2.7%, increasing from approximately 327 million in 2016 to nearly 332 million in 2021, with immigration accounting for nearly the entire increase. The ongoing trend sees Americans relocating to the West and South, which are also home to the nation’s fastest expanding urban centers.

To determine the fastest growing large cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed population data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey one-year estimates. We listed all 20 metropolitan statistical areas with at least 15% population growth from 2016 to 2021. We added seasonally-adjusted December employment figures – used to calculate employment growth from 2016 to 2021 – from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Factors contributing to the expansion of these cities include thriving local economies, a more affordable cost of living, appealing retirement destinations, vibrant college-town atmospheres, and milder climates.

Close to half of the speediest growing U.S. metro regions are in the South, a region now home to 40% of the nation’s inhabitants. The roster includes three metro areas in Tennessee and two in North Carolina. (Find out if these are also among the cities that will grow the most by 2060.)

Beyond the South, Idaho and Utah are witnessing the rapid ascent of their metro areas. The list encompasses three significant Idaho cities: Coeur d’Alene, Boise City, and Pocatello. Idaho is profiting from an influx of residents departing high-cost California.

Utah claims a place on the list with St. George and Provo-Orem. Both metro areas boast unemployment rates below 2%. Additionally, they secured the highest employment growth among all the metro regions listed during the 2016-2021 period.

With the exception of Greeley, Colorado, the unemployment rates in all but one of the listed metro areas decreased between 2016 and 2021.

Many of these metro regions derive benefits from hosting prominent universities, including Ames, Iowa; Gainesville, Florida; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Jackson, Tennessee; and Columbia, Missouri. (Here are cities with the youngest populations.)

Click here to see America’s 20 fastest growing big cities.

20. Charleston, WV
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +15.2% (+33,363)
> 2021 population: 252,942 — #189 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 219,579 — #198 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: -1.7% — #95 largest decrease out of 150
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.8% — #181 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 5.4% — #269 lowest out of 381

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19. Greeley, CO
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +15.3% (+45,104)
> 2021 population: 340,036 — #152 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 294,932 — #162 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 11.4% — #27 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 4.9% — #291 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 2.9% — #18 lowest out of 381

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18. Provo-Orem, UT
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +15.6% (+94,156)
> 2021 population: 696,699 — #84 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 602,543 — #91 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 17.5% — #2 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 1.5% — #2 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.0% — #22 lowest out of 381

17. Pocatello, ID
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +15.7% (+13,268)
> 2021 population: 97,645 — #359 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 84,377 — #370 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 9.5% — #49 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.4% — #34 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.4% — #45 lowest out of 381

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16. Hattiesburg, MS
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +15.9% (+23,704)
> 2021 population: 172,507 — #247 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 148,803 — #277 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 2.0% — #175 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.3% — #121 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 4.9% — #210 lowest out of 381

15. Boise City, ID
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +16.1% (+111,256)
> 2021 population: 801,470 — #74 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 690,214 — #80 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 14.7% — #7 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.3% — #30 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.5% — #54 lowest out of 381

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14. Coeur d’Alene, ID
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +16.5% (+25,478)
> 2021 population: 179,789 — #239 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 154,311 — #262 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 13.4% — #11 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.0% — #93 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 4.2% — #115 lowest out of 381

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13. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +16.9% (+94,477)
> 2021 population: 654,012 — #90 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 559,535 — #96 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 8.8% — #56 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.1% — #100 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 4.4% — #141 lowest out of 381

12. Clarksville, TN-KY
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +16.9% (+47,789)
> 2021 population: 329,864 — #155 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 282,075 — #167 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 8.0% — #68 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 4.1% — #221 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 5.4% — #269 lowest out of 381

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11. St. George, UT
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +19.3% (+30,981)
> 2021 population: 191,226 — #227 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 160,245 — #255 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 23.9% — #1 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 1.8% — #5 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.5% — #54 lowest out of 381

10. Columbia, MO
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +20.5% (+36,202)
> 2021 population: 212,796 — #210 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 176,594 — #235 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 1.1% — #201 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.2% — #20 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.0% — #22 lowest out of 381

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9. Gainesville, FL
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +22.4% (+63,085)
> 2021 population: 344,881 — #150 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 281,796 — #168 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 7.1% — #79 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.6% — #150 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 4.2% — #115 lowest out of 381

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8. Wausau-Weston, WI
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +22.6% (+30,586)
> 2021 population: 166,189 — #256 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 135,603 — #294 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 1.3% — #196 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.2% — #20 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.3% — #35 lowest out of 381

7. Morristown, TN
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +22.6% (+26,535)
> 2021 population: 143,855 — #288 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 117,320 — #326 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 5.3% — #103 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.8% — #181 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 5.0% — #223 lowest out of 381

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6. Sumter, SC
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +26.4% (+28,386)
> 2021 population: 135,782 — #300 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 107,396 — #338 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: -0.7% — #129 largest decrease out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 4.0% — #210 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 5.5% — #284 lowest out of 381

5. Ames, IA
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +30.0% (+29,105)
> 2021 population: 126,195 — #316 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 97,090 — #357 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: -0.6% — #135 largest decrease out of 150
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.0% — #12 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 2.2% — #1 lowest out of 381

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4. Longview, TX
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +32.4% (+70,422)
> 2021 population: 287,868 — #171 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 217,446 — #199 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: -0.0% — #150 largest decrease out of 150
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 5.4% — #323 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 6.3% — #339 lowest out of 381

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3. Fayetteville, NC
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +37.9% (+144,199)
> 2021 population: 524,588 — #106 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 380,389 — #138 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: +0.0% — #231 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 5.5% — #331 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 6.3% — #339 lowest out of 381

2. Manhattan, KS
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +38.1% (+36,928)
> 2021 population: 133,932 — #306 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 97,004 — #358 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: -4.6% — #42 largest decrease out of 150
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 2.5% — #41 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 3.4% — #45 lowest out of 381

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1. Jackson, TN
> 2016-2021 pop. growth: +39.6% (+51,272)
> 2021 population: 180,799 — #237 highest out of 381
> 2016 population: 129,527 — #303 highest out of 381
> 2016-2021 employment growth: 3.4% — #140 largest increase out of 231
> Dec 2021 unemployment rate: 3.7% — #162 lowest out of 381
> Dec 2016 unemployment rate: 4.8% — #199 lowest out of 381

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