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 Horizon West, Florida, which saw massive five- and eight-year percentage changes in population at 113.72% and 222.30%, respectively. In terms of numbers, the population jumped from 10,093 people in 2010 to 32,530 in 2018. Per capita income also grew from $32,800 to $38,050 over the course of those eight years.

But Horizon West 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, owner-occupied housing units and per capita income of more than 1,700 cities. To qualify as a boomtown on this list, cities had to have a population of less than 500,000. So, some of the boomtowns, such as Omaha, Nebraska and New Orleans are fast approaching that 500,000 threshold.

Find out if you’re living in one of America’s thriving cities, and read the final analysis of what these places have in common.

Last updated: July 16, 2020

Alabama: Madison

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.54%
  • 5 years: 9.61%
  • 8 years: 19.81%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.33%
  • 5 years: 9.51%
  • 8 years: 20.16%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.15%
  • 5 years: 9.21%
  • 8 years: 19.58%

Alaska: Anchorage

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.71%
  • 5 years: 0.30%
  • 8 years: 4.17%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.73%
  • 5 years: 1.70%
  • 8 years: 0.71%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 2.21%
  • 5 years: 10.01%
  • 8 years: 14.88%

Arizona: Queen Creek

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 8.27%
  • 5 years: 32.94%
  • 8 years: 56.38%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.94%
  • 5 years: 43.13%
  • 8 years: 65.54%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.91%
  • 5 years: 15.21%
  • 8 years: 32.13%

Arkansas: Bentonville

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.06%
  • 5 years: 26.19%
  • 8 years: 43.36%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.86%
  • 5 years: 19.05%
  • 8 years: 30.94%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 1.64%
  • 5 years: 19.63%
  • 8 years: 43.57%

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California: Coachella

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.05%
  • 5 years: 7.75%
  • 8 years: 17.58%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 18.02%
  • 5 years: 69.27%
  • 8 years: 77.31%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 12.69%
  • 5 years: 36.60%
  • 8 years: 34.95%

Colorado: Colorado Springs

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.67%
  • 5 years: 7.44%
  • 8 years: 13.25%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.24%
  • 5 years: 6.44%
  • 8 years: 4.32%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.85%
  • 5 years: 11.96%
  • 8 years: 14.57%

Connecticut: Stamford

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.14%
  • 5 years: 4.06%
  • 8 years: 6.72%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -0.66%
  • 5 years: 5.26%
  • 8 years: 0.09%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 5.39%
  • 5 years: 26.15%
  • 8 years: 23.27%

Delaware: Newark

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.33%
  • 5 years: 4.38%
  • 8 years: 7.21%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.97%
  • 5 years: 3.56%
  • 8 years: 6.17%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.07%
  • 5 years: 11.15%
  • 8 years: 16.06%

Florida: Horizon West

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 28.25%
  • 5 years: 113.72%
  • 8 years: 222.30%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 22.60%
  • 5 years: 89.81%
  • 8 years: 159.91%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.23%
  • 5 years: 18.56%
  • 8 years: 16.01%

Pictured: Orlando, Florida, is the nearest metropolitan area to Horizon West

Georgia: Chamblee

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.11%
  • 5 years: 97.35%
  • 8 years: 194.82%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.57%
  • 5 years: 75.74%
  • 8 years: 229.32%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 10.95%
  • 5 years: 11.58%
  • 8 years: 30.32%

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Hawaii: Kahului

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.23%
  • 5 years: 22.73%
  • 8 years: 30.75%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.36%
  • 5 years: 28.32%
  • 8 years: 19.51%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.96%
  • 5 years: 9.66%
  • 8 years: 16.75%

Idaho: Meridian

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.54%
  • 5 years: 24.27%
  • 8 years: 40.69%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.50%
  • 5 years: 31.81%
  • 8 years: 40.87%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 9.14%
  • 5 years: 23.54%
  • 8 years: 23.06%

Illinois: Oswego

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.85%
  • 5 years: 10.78%
  • 8 years: 24.04%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.97%
  • 5 years: 16.80%
  • 8 years: 23.22%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.97%
  • 5 years: 17.85%
  • 8 years: 16.21%

Indiana: West Lafayette

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.69%
  • 5 years: 56.70%
  • 8 years: 60.93%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.91%
  • 5 years: 18.87%
  • 8 years: 17.18%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.22%
  • 5 years: -8.06%
  • 8 years: -2.39%

Iowa: Ankeny

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.18%
  • 5 years: 24.31%
  • 8 years: 40.13%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 7.76%
  • 5 years: 18.38%
  • 8 years: 26.22%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 6.11%
  • 5 years: 19.83%
  • 8 years: 23.44%

Kansas: Lenexa

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.96%
  • 5 years: 8.44%
  • 8 years: 12.66%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.31%
  • 5 years: 9.52%
  • 8 years: 7.64%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.63%
  • 5 years: 24.01%
  • 8 years: 20.70%

Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.15%
  • 5 years: 5.95%
  • 8 years: 10.65%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.97%
  • 5 years: 3.24%
  • 8 years: 2.04%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.14%
  • 5 years: 12.70%
  • 8 years: 16.30%

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Louisiana: New Orleans

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.38%
  • 5 years: 9.14%
  • 8 years: 31.96%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.20%
  • 5 years: 4.08%
  • 8 years: 26.91%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.08%
  • 5 years: 13.88%
  • 8 years: 21.05%

Maine: South Portland

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.33%
  • 5 years: 1.76%
  • 8 years: 2.87%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.12%
  • 5 years: 4.47%
  • 8 years: -4.40%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.25%
  • 5 years: 21.24%
  • 8 years: 27.23%

Maryland: Pasadena

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.11%
  • 5 years: 14.34%
  • 8 years: 27.71%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.67%
  • 5 years: 18.08%
  • 8 years: 23.04%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 5.30%
  • 5 years: 13.55%
  • 8 years: 18.77%

Massachusetts: Cambridge

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.30%
  • 5 years: 9.39%
  • 8 years: 11.75%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.09%
  • 5 years: 6.61%
  • 8 years: -0.27%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.06%
  • 5 years: 15.25%
  • 8 years: 22.29%

Michigan: Forest Hills

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.26%
  • 5 years: 4.41%
  • 8 years: 9.91%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.25%
  • 5 years: 6.22%
  • 8 years: 11.83%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.51%
  • 5 years: 13.15%
  • 8 years: 24.09%

Pictured: Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the nearest metropolitan area to Forest Hills

Minnesota: Maple Grove

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.77%
  • 5 years: 10.32%
  • 8 years: 17.84%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.94%
  • 5 years: 13.56%
  • 8 years: 18.75%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.96%
  • 5 years: 14.09%
  • 8 years: 20.65%

Mississippi: Olive Branch

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.91%
  • 5 years: 7.84%
  • 8 years: 15.08%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.85%
  • 5 years: 8.96%
  • 8 years: 4.32%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.95%
  • 5 years: 12.41%
  • 8 years: 11.09%

Missouri: Wentzville

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.80%
  • 5 years: 23.57%
  • 8 years: 47.66%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.35%
  • 5 years: 16.55%
  • 8 years: 39.26%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 5.30%
  • 5 years: 11.75%
  • 8 years: 16.33%

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Montana: Bozeman

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.61%
  • 5 years: 18.11%
  • 8 years: 23.82%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.20%
  • 5 years: 11.71%
  • 8 years: 17.25%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.02%
  • 5 years: 14.93%
  • 8 years: 16.25%

Nebraska: Omaha

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.44%
  • 5 years: 10.09%
  • 8 years: 14.18%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.77%
  • 5 years: 8.63%
  • 8 years: 8.29%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 5.21%
  • 5 years: 17.06%
  • 8 years: 21.72%

Nevada: Enterprise

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 5.48%
  • 5 years: 38.37%
  • 8 years: 65.07%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.20%
  • 5 years: 35.99%
  • 8 years: 45.95%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 2.96%
  • 5 years: 7.34%
  • 8 years: 3.46%

New Hampshire: Nashua

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.10%
  • 5 years: 2.12%
  • 8 years: 1.80%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.25%
  • 5 years: -1.42%
  • 8 years: -6.54%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.92%
  • 5 years: 16.92%
  • 8 years: 15.77%

New Jersey: Rahway

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.25%
  • 5 years: 6.03%
  • 8 years: 8.91%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.25%
  • 5 years: 9.20%
  • 8 years: 7.05%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 12.66%
  • 5 years: 35.53%
  • 8 years: 31.96%

New Mexico: Santa Fe

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.04%
  • 5 years: 21.87%
  • 8 years: 24.06%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -0.69%
  • 5 years: 14.95%
  • 8 years: 12.84%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.55%
  • 5 years: 6.04%
  • 8 years: 4.38%

New York: Uniondale

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.73%
  • 5 years: 30.42%
  • 8 years: 29.93%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.45%
  • 5 years: 20.48%
  • 8 years: 12.70%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.01%
  • 5 years: 20.55%
  • 8 years: 25.85%

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North Carolina: Raleigh

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.71%
  • 5 years: 10.28%
  • 8 years: 19.45%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 0.96%
  • 5 years: 6.51%
  • 8 years: 10.32%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 5.07%
  • 5 years: 21.02%
  • 8 years: 22.59%

North Dakota: West Fargo

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.02%
  • 5 years: 27.41%
  • 8 years: 44.21%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.11%
  • 5 years: 22.25%
  • 8 years: 33.57%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.27%
  • 5 years: 30.78%
  • 8 years: 43.54%

Ohio: Hilliard

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.72%
  • 5 years: 20.02%
  • 8 years: 29.67%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.01%
  • 5 years: 19.07%
  • 8 years: 29.71%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.51%
  • 5 years: 21.95%
  • 8 years: 29.56%

Oklahoma: Owasso

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.92%
  • 5 years: 16.65%
  • 8 years: 32.49%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.01%
  • 5 years: 22.01%
  • 8 years: 27.14%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 2.79%
  • 5 years: 14.31%
  • 8 years: 16.11%

Oregon: Bend

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.82%
  • 5 years: 15.84%
  • 8 years: 21.76%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 6.87%
  • 5 years: 18.02%
  • 8 years: 16.24%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.62%
  • 5 years: 23.16%
  • 8 years: 23.70%

Pennsylvania: Plum

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: -0.31%
  • 5 years: 0.17%
  • 8 years: 1.69%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.14%
  • 5 years: 6.23%
  • 8 years: 10.30%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.45%
  • 5 years: 22.24%
  • 8 years: 25.37%

Pictured: Pittsburgh is the nearest metropolitan area to Plum

Rhode Island: Cranston

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.27%
  • 5 years: 0.90%
  • 8 years: 0.76%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.34%
  • 5 years: 4.05%
  • 8 years: 0.12%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 3.25%
  • 5 years: 11.50%
  • 8 years: 17.59%

South Carolina: Mount Pleasant

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 3.77%
  • 5 years: 19.35%
  • 8 years: 30.36%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.98%
  • 5 years: 16.80%
  • 8 years: 25.10%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.74%
  • 5 years: 32.82%
  • 8 years: 32.42%

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.20%
  • 5 years: 10.45%
  • 8 years: 17.00%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.41%
  • 5 years: 10.85%
  • 8 years: 15.26%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 2.06%
  • 5 years: 15.40%
  • 8 years: 15.06%

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Tennessee: Mount Juliet

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 4.73%
  • 5 years: 27.57%
  • 8 years: 50.00%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 4.45%
  • 5 years: 24.33%
  • 8 years: 38.96%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.21%
  • 5 years: 17.61%
  • 8 years: 19.40%

Texas: Sugar Land

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 36.02%
  • 5 years: 46.35%
  • 8 years: 55.34%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 36.92%
  • 5 years: 47.55%
  • 8 years: 58.43%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 2.32%
  • 5 years: 16.19%
  • 8 years: 25.05%

Utah: Herriman

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 11.48%
  • 5 years: 52.18%
  • 8 years: 94.46%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 18.51%
  • 5 years: 66.07%
  • 8 years: 78.86%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.11%
  • 5 years: 34.32%
  • 8 years: 30.04%

Vermont: Burlington

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.14%
  • 5 years: 0.43%
  • 8 years: 1.38%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: -1.80%
  • 5 years: -7.94%
  • 8 years: -9.72%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.21%
  • 5 years: 6.54%
  • 8 years: 12.82%

Virginia: Leesburg

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.18%
  • 5 years: 16.84%
  • 8 years: 28.03%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.60%
  • 5 years: 26.56%
  • 8 years: 20.97%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 8.40%
  • 5 years: 21.32%
  • 8 years: 23.09%

Washington: Sammamish

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.86%
  • 5 years: 34.09%
  • 8 years: 47.78%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 1.17%
  • 5 years: 33.38%
  • 8 years: 44.24%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.11%
  • 5 years: 18.24%
  • 8 years: 26.96%

West Virginia: Morgantown

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 1.46%
  • 5 years: 2.35%
  • 8 years: 5.03%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 3.32%
  • 5 years: 13.93%
  • 8 years: 16.07%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 7.53%
  • 5 years: 29.20%
  • 8 years: 51.48%

Wisconsin: Fitchburg

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 2.89%
  • 5 years: 12.11%
  • 8 years: 17.40%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 5.05%
  • 5 years: 16.61%
  • 8 years: 18.48%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 11.35%
  • 5 years: 19.34%
  • 8 years: 16.73%

Wyoming: Cheyenne

• Change in population:
  • 1 year: 0.41%
  • 5 years: 4.49%
  • 8 years: 9.16%
• Change in owner-occupied housing units:
  • 1 year: 2.66%
  • 5 years: 15.53%
  • 8 years: 13.75%
• Change in per capita income:
  • 1 year: 4.12%
  • 5 years: 20.14%
  • 8 years: 22.84%

Biggest Boomtowns in Every State: Insights

It’s not presently clear how the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing recession might change the population trends observed here. Will the boomtowns of today become the ghost towns of tomorrow? Or will the things drawing people to these places only be amplified more by the massive changes shifting below the sands? The simple fact is that however much these cities are growing now and have in the recent past, these sort of migration trends change over time.

So if you’re thinking you want to find the next boomtown and get in before it really takes off, your chances might still be good. After all, the next boomtown is just a population explosion away.

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Chris Jennings and Erica Corbin contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the biggest boomtowns in every state by analyzing 1,722 U.S. cities with populations of under 500,000 but above 25,000 as sourced from the 2018 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 2018, 2017, 2013 and 2010 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. All data was gathered and is up to date as of July 6, 2020.

About the Author

Joel Anderson

Joel Anderson is a business and finance writer with over a decade of experience writing about the wide world of finance. Based in Los Angeles, he specializes in writing about the financial markets, stocks, macroeconomic concepts and focuses on helping make complex financial concepts digestible for the retail investor.

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