Biggest Boomtowns in Every State

Boomtown. The word sounds like it’s describing an explosion — and in a way, it is. Boomtowns are considered the fastest-growing cities in America due to rapid business and population growth. An example of such a place is Leander, Texas, which saw massive five- and eight-year percentage changes in population at 89.11% and 126.02%, respectively.

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But Leander isn’t the only boomtown out there. GOBankingRates found one in every state by looking at the one-, five- and eight-year changes in population, occupied housing units and owner-occupied housing units of cities with a population of more than 25,000 but less than 500,000. Find out if you’re living in one of America’s most thriving cities, and see if your city makes the list.

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.61%
  • 5 years: 12.81%
  • 8 years: 21.92%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 12.17%
  • 5 years: 18.90%
  • 8 years: 21.26%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 11.11%
  • 5 years: 37.03%
  • 8 years: 16.36%

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• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.49%
  • 5 years: -2.35%
  • 8 years: 0.21%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.38%
  • 5 years: 1.71%
  • 8 years: 1.38%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.83%
  • 5 years: 5.45%
  • 8 years: 2.85%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 20.94%
  • 5 years: 73.05%
  • 8 years: 101.80%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 24.43%
  • 5 years: 82.55%
  • 8 years: 119.07%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 26.89%
  • 5 years: 103.02%
  • 8 years: 135.09%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.26%
  • 5 years: 28.99%
  • 8 years: 46.12%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.24%
  • 5 years: 31.31%
  • 8 years: 43.63%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -0.76%
  • 5 years: 18.37%
  • 8 years: 28.07%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 40.21%
  • 5 years: 50.46%
  • 8 years: 52.42%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 39.23%
  • 5 years: 52.51%
  • 8 years: 55.88%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 36.12%
  • 5 years: 52.02%
  • 8 years: 55.99%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.80%
  • 5 years: 9.71%
  • 8 years: 16.30%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.31%
  • 5 years: 7.28%
  • 8 years: 8.93%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.30%
  • 5 years: 16.52%
  • 8 years: 12.02%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 19.93%
  • 5 years: 16.39%
  • 8 years: 18.12%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 22.22%
  • 5 years: 19.23%
  • 8 years: 18.12%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 20.87%
  • 5 years: 16.37%
  • 8 years: 6.93%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.93%
  • 5 years: 1.96%
  • 8 years: 4.45%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.55%
  • 5 years: 13.87%
  • 8 years: 18.18%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.58%
  • 5 years: 9.40%
  • 8 years: 2.63%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 82.92%
  • 5 years: 78.09%
  • 8 years: 79.08%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 88.97%
  • 5 years: 81.89%
  • 8 years: 77.55%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 93.28%
  • 5 years: 92.71%
  • 8 years: 93.22%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.81%
  • 5 years: 10.86%
  • 8 years: 16.84%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.34%
  • 5 years: 15.80%
  • 8 years: 20.21%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.52%
  • 5 years: 19.1%3
  • 8 years: 17.07%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.52%
  • 5 years: -0.23%
  • 8 years: 1.60%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.60%
  • 5 years: 3.07%
  • 8 years: 2.69%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.11%
  • 5 years: 11.4%3
  • 8 years: 7.59%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.77%
  • 5 years: 28.29%
  • 8 years: 43.31%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.91%
  • 5 years: 28.98%
  • 8 years: 46.45%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.68%
  • 5 years: 30.81%
  • 8 years: 48.92%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.49%
  • 5 years: -1.12%
  • 8 years: -0.32%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.07%
  • 5 years: 7.30%
  • 8 years: 7.32%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.37%
  • 5 years: 10.10%
  • 8 years: 12.35%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.16%
  • 5 years: 23.44%
  • 8 years: 38.47%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 9.53%
  • 5 years: 32.0%3
  • 8 years: 47.34%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.48%
  • 5 years: 30.20%
  • 8 years: 38.65%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.53%
  • 5 years: 25.74%
  • 8 years: 41.57%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.74%
  • 5 years: 25.36%
  • 8 years: 38.98%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.67
  • 5 years: 27.01
  • 8 years: 30.47

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.26%
  • 5 years: 6.58%
  • 8 years: 10.84%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.43%
  • 5 years: 6.77%
  • 8 years: 9.96%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.84%
  • 5 years: 5.04%
  • 8 years: 5.99%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.96%
  • 5 years: 16.25%
  • 8 years: 22.17%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 8.69%
  • 5 years: 18.48%
  • 8 years: 20.69%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 9.47%
  • 5 years: 19.78%
  • 8 years: 15.04%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.92%
  • 5 years: 11.80%
  • 8 years: 21.06%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 8.36%
  • 5 years: 20.30%
  • 8 years: 27.09%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 12.60%
  • 5 years: 24.29%
  • 8 years: 26.42%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.46%
  • 5 years: 1.43%
  • 8 years: 2.67%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.56%
  • 5 years: 6.82%
  • 8 years: 3.21%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.07%
  • 5 years: 19.69%
  • 8 years: 7.94%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.92%
  • 5 years: 40.22%
  • 8 years: 95.86%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.96%
  • 5 years: 41.33%
  • 8 years: 89.78%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 10.74%
  • 5 years: 43.77%
  • 8 years: 87.90%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.54%
  • 5 years: 10.25%
  • 8 years: 14.25%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.24%
  • 5 years: 13.53%
  • 8 years: 14.75%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 8.19%
  • 5 years: 21.34%
  • 8 years: 20.77%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.09%
  • 5 years: 4.65%
  • 8 years: 9.35%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.75%
  • 5 years: 8.28%
  • 8 years: 13.87%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.96%
  • 5 years: 8.23%
  • 8 years: 13.37%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.00%
  • 5 years: 6.15%
  • 8 years: 10.26%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.08%
  • 5 years: 6.24%
  • 8 years: 7.64%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.46%
  • 5 years: 4.82%
  • 8 years: 1.99%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.60%
  • 5 years: 33.19%
  • 8 years: 45.42%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.76%
  • 5 years: 33.83%
  • 8 years: 57.50%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -1.69%
  • 5 years: 47.24%
  • 8 years: 61.51%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.03%
  • 5 years: 23.09%
  • 8 years: 39.92%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.77%
  • 5 years: 22.56%
  • 8 years: 36.60%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.16%
  • 5 years: 21.14%
  • 8 years: 35.54%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.39%
  • 5 years: 19.87%
  • 8 years: 28.47%
• Change in owner occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.88%
  • 5 years: 23.44%
  • 8 years: 32.97%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.64%
  • 5 years: 18.56%
  • 8 years: 23.32%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.77%
  • 5 years: 8.98%
  • 8 years: 16.20%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.63%
  • 5 years: 9.30%
  • 8 years: 15.63%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.25%
  • 5 years: 11.49%
  • 8 years: 16.05%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 25.41%
  • 5 years: 70.99%
  • 8 years: 89.65%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 27.38%
  • 5 years: 69.53%
  • 8 years: 86.84%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 25.11%
  • 5 years: 80.72%
  • 8 years: 88.75%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.09%
  • 5 years: 4.55%
  • 8 years: 6.33%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.75%
  • 5 years: 9.41%
  • 8 years: 10.77%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.04%
  • 5 years: 13.00%
  • 8 years: 13.46%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.52%
  • 5 years: 7.69%
  • 8 years: 152.48%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -1.54%
  • 5 years: 3.23%
  • 8 years: 226.43%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -7.74%
  • 5 years: -1.06%
  • 8 years: 305.43%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.41%
  • 5 years: 6.11%
  • 8 years: 11.93%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.50%
  • 5 years: 7.35%
  • 8 years: 12.36%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 8.98%
  • 5 years: 10.28%
  • 8 years: 14.02%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 33.21%
  • 5 years: 34.55%
  • 8 years: 37.76%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 35.40%
  • 5 years: 38.69%
  • 8 years: 41.47%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 37.46%
  • 5 years: 49.07%
  • 8 years: 49.89%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 7.49%
  • 5 years: 30.79%
  • 8 years: 46.90%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.67%
  • 5 years: 33.56%
  • 8 years: 51.83%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.10%
  • 5 years: 41.42%
  • 8 years: 51.11%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.85%
  • 5 years: 21.79%
  • 8 years: 41.15%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.58%
  • 5 years: 18.58%
  • 8 years: 33.82%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.34%
  • 5 years: 17.42%
  • 8 years: 26.38%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.68%
  • 5 years: 16.41%
  • 8 years: 27.75%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.57%
  • 5 years: 21.37%
  • 8 years: 35.80%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.79%
  • 5 years: 13.26%
  • 8 years: 26.60%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.35%
  • 5 years: 5.26%
  • 8 years: 10.37%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.05%
  • 5 years: 7.90%
  • 8 years: 13.35%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.19%
  • 5 years: 3.87%
  • 8 years: 4.24%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.32%
  • 5 years: 18.65%
  • 8 years: 25.91%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.99%
  • 5 years: 19.30%
  • 8 years: 23.11%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.42%
  • 5 years: 22.27%
  • 8 years: 25.49%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.41%
  • 5 years: -0.07%
  • 8 years: 0.22%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -0.79%
  • 5 years: 2.19%
  • 8 years: 1.57%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.25%
  • 5 years: 29.93%
  • 8 years: 43.41%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.01%
  • 5 years: 0.44%
  • 8 years: 0.72%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.05%
  • 5 years: 4.41%
  • 8 years: 4.28%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 9.07%
  • 5 years: 13.33%
  • 8 years: 9.78%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.79%
  • 5 years: 19.29%
  • 8 years: 31.56%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.83%
  • 5 years: 21.33%
  • 8 years: 35.13%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.95%
  • 5 years: 21.93%
  • 8 years: 32.13%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.15%
  • 5 years: 10.09%
  • 8 years: 17.09%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.11%
  • 5 years: 12.63%
  • 8 years: 19.37%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.24%
  • 5 years: 9.91%
  • 8 years: 15.30%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.24%
  • 5 years: 26.20%
  • 8 years: 45.92%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 8.60%
  • 5 years: 28.76%
  • 8 years: 47.67%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.29%
  • 5 years: 23.66%
  • 8 years: 35.40%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 12.84%
  • 5 years: 89.11%
  • 8 years: 126.02%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 15.76%
  • 5 years: 92.86%
  • 8 years: 115.70%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 12.85%
  • 5 years: 91.74%
  • 8 years: 113.85%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 12.61%
  • 5 years: 69.20%
  • 8 years: 107.22%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 17.48%
  • 5 years: 83.79%
  • 8 years: 127.94%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 14.12%
  • 5 years: 100.83%
  • 8 years: 127.07%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.24%
  • 5 years: 0.18%
  • 8 years: 0.91%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -2.19%
  • 5 years: 0.22%
  • 8 years: -2.43%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.46%
  • 5 years: -6.51%
  • 8 years: -10.18%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.21%
  • 5 years: 18.53%
  • 8 years: 31.44%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.36%
  • 5 years: 18.70%
  • 8 years: 33.51%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.47%
  • 5 years: 16.01%
  • 8 years: 28.40%

• hange in population:
  • 1 year: 0.91%
  • 5 years: 30.11%
  • 8 years: 40.64%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.39%
  • 5 years: 33.32%
  • 8 years: 44.05%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.69%
  • 5 years: 31.57%
  • 8 years: 38.71%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.78%
  • 5 years: 2.62%
  • 8 years: 3.33%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -0.92%
  • 5 years: 7.16%
  • 8 years: 6.23%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.54%
  • 5 years: 10.65%
  • 8 years: 20.38%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.98%
  • 5 years: 12.83%
  • 8 years: 19.07%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.04%
  • 5 years: 21.18%
  • 8 years: 31.09%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 11.79%
  • 5 years: 24.10%
  • 8 years: 29.42%

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.77%
  • 5 years: 3.06%
  • 8 years: 7.58%
• Change in occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.93%
  • 5 years: 9.82%
  • 8 years: 12.06%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.37%
  • 5 years: 19.63%
  • 8 years: 23.66%

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Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.

Please note: Images may feature nearest cities/landmarks and are for representational purposes only.

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the biggest boomtowns in every state by analyzing all U.S. cities with populations of under 500,000 but above 25,000 as sourced from the 2020 American Community Survey and evaluated them by the following criteria: (1) one-year change in total population by percentage; (2) one-year change in total population by number of people; (3) five-year change in total population by percentage; (4) five-year change in total population by number of people; (5) eight-year change in total population by percentage; (6) eight-year change in total population by number of people; (6) one-year change in amount of occupied housing units by percentage; (7) one-year change in amount of occupied housing units by number of units; (8) five-year change in amount of occupied housing units by percentage; (9) five-year change in amount of occupied housing units by number of units; (10) eight-year change in amount of occupied housing units by percentage; (11) eight-year change in amount of occupied housing units by number of units; (12) one-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by percentage; (13) one-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by number of homes; (14) five-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by percentage; (15) five-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by number of homes; (16) eight-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by percentage; (17) eight-year change in amount of owner-occupied homes by number of homes; (18) one-year change in per capita income by percentage; (19) one-year change in per capita income by dollars; (20) five-year change in per capita income by percentage; (21) five-year change in per capita income by dollars; (22) eight-year change in per capita income by percentage; and (23) eight-year change in per capita income by dollars. All data was sourced from the 2020, 2019, 2015 and 2012 American Community Surveys from the U.S. Census Bureau. All factors were scored, added together and cities then ranked, with the best-scoring city being the biggest boomtown in the state.