The U.S. population growth rate recently hit a low point not seen since 1937, when the country was in the thick of the Great Depression. The U.S. population grew by just 0.62% between July 2017 and July 2018, according to Census Bureau data.
The slowing national population growth appears to be part of a long-term trend. Still, population growth rates vary in different parts of the country, and some areas buck the national trend. In nearly every state, there is at least one city that has reported rapid population growth in recent years.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. Census Bureau data on 382 metro areas from 2010 to 2018 to identify the fastest growing city in each state. With only one metro area in each New Hampshire, Vermont, and Delaware, the city listed is only the fastest growing by default. Still, each of those three metro areas is growing faster than the corresponding state as a whole. It stands to reason that rapidly growing cities are desirable places to live, and not surprisingly, parts of the metro areas on this list also rank as the best city to live in the state.
Population change is the product of two factors – net migration and natural growth. Natural growth is simply the number of births over a given period less the number of deaths. Net migration is the difference between the number of new residents – either from other parts of the country or from abroad – and the number of residents who have left the area.
The slowing national population growth rate in the last year is attributable to a slowing birth rate and a climbing death rate. In the majority of the cities on this list, the strong long-term population growth is primarily attributable to natural growth. In 11 cities on this list, the population growth has been driven by domestic migration.
People often move to a new city for economic reasons such as a strong job market and high incomes that provide a level of stability attractive to young families. These cities, more often than not, have faster than average job growth and relatively low unemployment. Some even rank among the 25 cities that added the most jobs last year. Most also have a higher than typical median income.
Source: George Dodd / Getty Images
Alabama: Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 19.1% (state: 2.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.1% (state: 3.7%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 23.8% (state: 6.8%)
> Median household income: $55,342 (state: $48,123)
Source: yenwen / Getty Images
Alaska: Anchorage
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 4.2% (state: 3.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 5.8% (state: 6.5%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 2.4% (state: 1.7%)
> Median household income: $76,871 (state: $73,181)
Source: Melikamp / Wikimedia Commons
Arizona: Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 15.6% (state: 11.9%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.3% (state: 5.1%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 20.1% (state: 16.6%)
> Median household income: $61,506 (state: $56,581)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 18.0% (state: 3.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.8% (state: 3.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 22.3% (state: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $56,038 (state: $45,869)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
California: Stockton-Lodi
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 9.5% (state: 6.0%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 6.2% (state: 4.2%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 22.9% (state: 18.1%)
> Median household income: $61,164 (state: $71,805)
Source: Bryan Bean / Wikimedia Commons
Colorado: Greeley
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 23.7% (state: 12.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.9% (state: 3.7%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 34.1% (state: 19.9%)
> Median household income: $68,884 (state: $69,117)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 2.6% (state: -0.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.9% (state: 3.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 5.6% (state: 4.6%)
> Median household income: $91,198 (state: $74,168)
Source: Ataraxy22 / Wikimedia Commons
Delaware: Dover
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 9.6% (state: 7.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.3% (state: 3.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 10.5% (state: 10.7%)
> Median household income: $57,608 (state: $62,852)
Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
Florida: The Villages
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 36.6% (state: 13.0%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 5.1% (state: 3.5%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 42.9% (state: 19.5%)
> Median household income: $54,057 (state: $52,594)
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Georgia: Gainesville
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 12.3% (state: 8.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.2% (state: 3.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 24.7% (state: 15.8%)
> Median household income: $61,977 (state: $56,183)
Source: unclegene / Getty Images
Hawaii: Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 7.9% (state: 4.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.9% (state: 2.7%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 17.2% (state: 11.5%)
> Median household income: $80,183 (state: $77,765)
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Source: Joecho-16 / Getty Images
Idaho: Boise City
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 18.2% (state: 11.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.9% (state: 2.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 22.1% (state: 16.7%)
> Median household income: $55,324 (state: $52,225)
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Source: Illinifan2003 / Wikimedia Commons
Illinois: Champaign-Urbana
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 3.1% (state: -0.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.6% (state: 4.3%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 2.5% (state: 7.9%)
> Median household income: $50,999 (state: $62,992)
Source: John Schanlaub / Wikimedia Commons
Indiana: Lafayette-West Lafayette
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 9.8% (state: 3.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.4% (state: 3.5%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 13.9% (state: 11.4%)
> Median household income: $52,224 (state: $54,181)
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Source: KudicM / Getty Images
Iowa: Des Moines-West Des Moines
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 14.6% (state: 3.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.2% (state: 2.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 15.4% (state: 7.2%)
> Median household income: $68,649 (state: $58,570)
Source: Ian Ballinger / Wikimedia Commons
Kansas: Lawrence
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 9.2% (state: 1.9%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.3% (state: 3.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 6.5% (state: 5.7%)
> Median household income: $55,646 (state: $56,422)
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Source: navycrackerjack74 / Flickr
Kentucky: Bowling Green
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 11.4% (state: 2.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.6% (state: 4.1%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 30.0% (state: 9.5%)
> Median household income: $46,478 (state: $48,375)
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Source: Z28scrambler / Wikimedia Commons
Louisiana: Hammond
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 10.1% (state: 2.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 5.5% (state: 4.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 5.9% (state: 4.1%)
> Median household income: $44,861 (state: $46,145)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Maine: Portland-South Portland
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 4.2% (state: 0.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.8% (state: 3.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 8.9% (state: 5.4%)
> Median household income: $68,570 (state: $56,277)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Maryland: Salisbury
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 9.4% (state: 4.4%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.5% (state: 3.7%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 209.8% (state: 8.2%)
> Median household income: $59,273 (state: $80,776)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 6.8% (state: 5.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.6% (state: 3%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 13.4% (state: 12.5%)
> Median household income: $85,691 (state: $77,385)
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Michigan: Grand Rapids-Wyoming
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 8.1% (state: 1.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.6% (state: 4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 58.2% (state: 13.9%)
> Median household income: $61,298 (state: $54,909)
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Source: StevenGaertner / Getty Images
Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 8.2% (state: 5.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.9% (state: 3.1%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 14.9% (state: 11.6%)
> Median household income: $76,856 (state: $68,388)
Source: Woodlot / Wikimedia Commons
Mississippi: Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 7.0% (state: 0.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 5% (state: 4.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 47.7% (state: 5.0%)
> Median household income: $47,099 (state: $43,529)
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Source: Ashley Kluver / Getty Images
Missouri: Columbia
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 10.3% (state: 2.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.4% (state: 3.2%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 11.1% (state: 8.1%)
> Median household income: $51,340 (state: $53,578)
Source: Ken Eckert / Wikimedia Commons
Montana: Missoula
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 8.6% (state: 7.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.4% (state: 3.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 10.2% (state: 9.6%)
> Median household income: $54,311 (state: $53,386)
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Source: Collin Ulness / Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska: Lincoln
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 10.4% (state: 5.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.6% (state: 2.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 10.2% (state: 8.5%)
> Median household income: $60,057 (state: $59,970)
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Source: Lasvegaslover / Wikimedia Commons
Nevada: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 14.3% (state: 12.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.2% (state: 4.3%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 21.0% (state: 19.7%)
> Median household income: $57,189 (state: $58,003)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 3.5% (state: 3.0%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.3% (state: 2.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 9.8% (state: 8.8%)
> Median household income: $78,769 (state: $73,381)
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Source: ChrisBoswell / Getty Images
New Jersey: Trenton
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 0.5% (state: 1.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.8% (state: 4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 10.0% (state: 7.3%)
> Median household income: $79,173 (state: $80,088)
Source: pedrosz / Flickr
New Mexico: Santa Fe
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 3.8% (state: 1.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.1% (state: 5.1%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 0.2% (state: 3.7%)
> Median household income: $58,821 (state: $46,744)
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Source: Eloi_Omella / Getty Images
New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 1.9% (state: 0.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.9% (state: 3.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 15.7% (state: 11.2%)
> Median household income: $75,368 (state: $64,894)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
North Carolina: Raleigh
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 19.8% (state: 8.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.5% (state: 3.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 24.7% (state: 14.3%)
> Median household income: $72,576 (state: $52,752)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
North Dakota: Fargo
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 17.3% (state: 12.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.3% (state: 2.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 16.1% (state: 15.4%)
> Median household income: $63,353 (state: $61,843)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Ohio: Columbus
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 10.5% (state: 1.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.6% (state: 4.6%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 17.6% (state: 9.3%)
> Median household income: $63,764 (state: $54,021)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 11.0% (state: 4.9%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.1% (state: 3.3%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 10.6% (state: 6.4%)
> Median household income: $56,260 (state: $50,051)
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Source: fdastudillo / Getty Images
Oregon: Bend-Redmond
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 21.7% (state: 9.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.5% (state: 4.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 36.0% (state: 17.8%)
> Median household income: $66,273 (state: $60,212)
Source: SEASTOCK / Getty Images
Pennsylvania: Lebanon
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 5.8% (state: 0.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.2% (state: 4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 5.7% (state: 6.0%)
> Median household income: $57,372 (state: $59,195)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 1.2% (state: 0.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.5% (state: 3.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 7.5% (state: 6.7%)
> Median household income: $65,226 (state: $63,870)
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Source: Curtis and Eric from Crawfordville, FL, USA / Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 27.0% (state: 9.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.9% (state: 3.2%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 50.5% (state: 15.8%)
> Median household income: $48,727 (state: $50,570)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 15.9% (state: 8.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.4% (state: 2.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 16.0% (state: 8.6%)
> Median household income: $64,882 (state: $56,521)
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 15.2% (state: 6.5%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.4% (state: 3.2%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 29.0% (state: 14.6%)
> Median household income: $63,939 (state: $51,340)
Source: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons
Texas: Midland
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 25.8% (state: 13.7%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.2% (state: 3.8%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 36.4% (state: 18.0%)
> Median household income: $75,266 (state: $59,206)
Source: MojaveNC / Wikimedia Commons
Utah: St. George
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 24.1% (state: 13.9%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3% (state: 3%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 39.2% (state: 24.3%)
> Median household income: $54,842 (state: $68,358)
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Source: ErikaMitchell / Getty Images
Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 4.5% (state: 0.1%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 1.8% (state: 2.4%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 9.2% (state: 5.6%)
> Median household income: $63,160 (state: $57,513)
Source: NicolasMcComber / Getty Images
Virginia: Winchester
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 8.6% (state: 6.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.8% (state: 2.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 14.9% (state: 8.5%)
> Median household income: $65,334 (state: $71,535)
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Source: Cecil_Kindle / Getty Images
Washington: Kennewick-Richland
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 15.9% (state: 11.8%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 5.8% (state: 4.5%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 11.5% (state: 17.1%)
> Median household income: $63,617 (state: $70,979)
Source: BackyardProduction / Getty Images
West Virginia: Morgantown
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 7.6% (state: -2.6%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 4.2% (state: 5.2%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 9.0% (state: -1.2%)
> Median household income: $49,475 (state: $43,469)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Wisconsin: Madison
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 8.9% (state: 2.2%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 2.2% (state: 2.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 17.0% (state: 8.2%)
> Median household income: $71,301 (state: $59,305)
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Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images
Wyoming: Cheyenne
> 2010-2018 pop. growth: 7.3% (state: 2.3%)
> Feb. 2019 unemployment: 3.3% (state: 3.9%)
> 2010-2017 job growth: 7.5% (state: -0.6%)
> Median household income: $61,961 (state: $60,434)
Methodology
To determine the fastest growing city in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed population change between July 2010 and July 2018 (the latest available data) in every U.S. metro area with data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program. The components of population growth — births, deaths, and international and domestic migration — were also from this report. Jobs added between 2010 and 2017 came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. February 2019 unemployment rates came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics and are seasonally adjusted.
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