Economy / Money

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 Woodbridge, Virginia, which saw massive five- and eight-year percentage changes in population at 863.35% and 840.66%, respectively.

But Woodbridge 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. Check out the list and find out if you’re living in one of America’s most thriving cities.

Alabama: Auburn

Change in population:
- 1 year: 13.94%
- 5 years: 23.74%
- 8 years: 34.71%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 15.02%
- 5 years: 24.63%
- 8 years: 35.34%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 21.13%
- 5 years: 52.17%
- 8 years: 58.02%

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Alaska: Fairbanks

Change in population:
- 1 year: 5.06%
- 5 years: 1.35%
- 8 years: 3.53%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.59%
- 5 years: 0.08%
- 8 years: 1.28%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.78%
- 5 years: 2.37%
- 8 years: -0.28%

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Arizona: Buckeye

Change in population:
- 1 year: 20.47%
- 5 years: 51.26%
- 8 years: 70.48%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 22.99%
- 5 years: 55.65%
- 8 years: 74.96%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 27.89%
- 5 years: 102.15%
- 8 years: 126.85%

Arkansas: Springdale

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.78%
- 5 years: 12.73%
- 8 years: 19.17%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.90%
- 5 years: 12.97%
- 8 years: 19.39%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 12.98%
- 5 years: 23.42%
- 8 years: 23.55%

California: Irvine

Change in population:
- 1 year: 9.23%
- 5 years: 20.60%
- 8 years: 34.62%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 9.33%
- 5 years: 21.05%
- 8 years: 35.78%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.77%
- 5 years: 12.83%
- 8 years: 20.54%

Colorado: Windsor

Change in population:
- 1 year: 35.02%
- 5 years: 51.14%
- 8 years: 65.98%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 35.22%
- 5 years: 51.46%
- 8 years: 66.63%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 32.84%
- 5 years: 48.93%
- 8 years: 67.07%

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Connecticut: Waterbury

Change in population:
- 1 year: 5.51%
- 5 years: 4.19%
- 8 years: 3.39%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.68%
- 5 years: 4.35%
- 8 years: 3.56%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.10%
- 5 years: 11.23%
- 8 years: -0.13%

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Delaware: Dover

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.82%
- 5 years: 4.25%
- 8 years: 6.31%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 3.31%
- 5 years: 5.89%
- 8 years: 7.37%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.81%
- 5 years: 0.80%
- 8 years: -4.99%

Florida: Horizon West

Change in population:
- 1 year: 16.96%
- 5 years: 139.76%
- 8 years: 255.02%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 16.95%
- 5 years: 139.75%
- 8 years: 255.00%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 17.77%
- 5 years: 147.37%
- 8 years: 261.35%

Georgia: Union City

Change in population:
- 1 year: 19.55%
- 5 years: 27.79%
- 8 years: 32.30%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 19.42%
- 5 years: 27.54%
- 8 years: 32.80%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 52.88%
- 5 years: 69.17%
- 8 years: 38.09%

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Hawaii: Urban Honolulu

Change in population:
- 1 year: 1.26%
- 5 years: 0.56%
- 8 years: 3.20%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.35%
- 5 years: 0.92%
- 8 years: 3.58%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 3.94%
- 5 years: 13.76%
- 8 years: 14.73%

Idaho: Meridian

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.90%
- 5 years: 30.57%
- 8 years: 47.61%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.94%
- 5 years: 30.67%
- 8 years: 47.80%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 8.09%
- 5 years: 35.29%
- 8 years: 57.58%

Illinois: Evanston

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.05%
- 5 years: 3.95%
- 8 years: 4.69%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.28%
- 5 years: 4.06%
- 8 years: 4.81%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.64%
- 5 years: 4.77%
- 8 years: 2.81%

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Indiana: Westfield

Change in population:
- 1 year: 9.71%
- 5 years: 33.28%
- 8 years: 46.53%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 9.79%
- 5 years: 33.43%
- 8 years: 46.76%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 13.47%
- 5 years: 36.91%
- 8 years: 46.25%

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Iowa: Ankeny

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.47%
- 5 years: 24.21%
- 8 years: 39.42%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.58%
- 5 years: 24.60%
- 8 years: 39.71%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.55%
- 5 years: 26.04%
- 8 years: 35.25%

Kansas: Lenexa

Change in population:
- 1 year: 3.56%
- 5 years: 10.84%
- 8 years: 16.02%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 3.61%
- 5 years: 10.90%
- 8 years: 16.31%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.34%
- 5 years: 9.19%
- 8 years: 17.34%

Kentucky: Georgetown

Change in population:
- 1 year: 5.58%
- 5 years: 14.42%
- 8 years: 22.14%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.80%
- 5 years: 15.34%
- 8 years: 23.31%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.50%
- 5 years: 19.46%
- 8 years: 25.12%

Louisiana: Lake Charles

Change in population:
- 1 year: 7.21%
- 5 years: 11.19%
- 8 years: 14.58%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.66%
- 5 years: 12.29%
- 8 years: 16.28%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 12.02%
- 5 years: 27.48%
- 8 years: 19.34%

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Maine: Portland

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.03%
- 5 years: 2.12%
- 8 years: 2.77%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.34%
- 5 years: 2.39%
- 8 years: 2.86%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.57%
- 5 years: 14.68%
- 8 years: 11.10%

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Maryland: Laurel

Change in population:
- 1 year: 14.39%
- 5 years: 14.53%
- 8 years: 16.24%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 14.50%
- 5 years: 14.61%
- 8 years: 16.51%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 16.85%
- 5 years: 2.92%
- 8 years: 0.85%

Massachusetts: Worcester

Change in population:
- 1 year: 10.09%
- 5 years: 10.99%
- 8 years: 12.08%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 10.82%
- 5 years: 10.24%
- 8 years: 10.94%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 9.77%
- 5 years: 9.48%
- 8 years: 6.94%

Michigan: Hamtramck

Change in population:
- 1 year: 26.93%
- 5 years: 25.30%
- 8 years: 23.77%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 28.36%
- 5 years: 27.29%
- 8 years: 25.68%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 31.20%
- 5 years: 55.65%
- 8 years: 44.10%

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Minnesota: Minneapolis

Change in population:
- 1 year: 0.13%
- 5 years: 5.05%
- 8 years: 9.25%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 0.25%
- 5 years: 5.58%
- 8 years: 9.90%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.62%
- 5 years: 9.06%
- 8 years: 9.43%

Mississippi: Clinton

Change in population:
- 1 year: 12.23%
- 5 years: 9.52%
- 8 years: 9.73%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 12.63%
- 5 years: 9.69%
- 8 years: 11.34%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 14.74%
- 5 years: 17.66%
- 8 years: 17.94%

Missouri: Wentzville

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.94%
- 5 years: 26.44%
- 8 years: 42.46%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.00%
- 5 years: 26.59%
- 8 years: 42.82%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.72%
- 5 years: 28.73%
- 8 years: 42.43%

Montana: Bozeman

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.71%
- 5 years: 23.50%
- 8 years: 35.00%
Change in owner occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.88%
- 5 years: 23.87%
- 8 years: 38.06%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 12.36%
- 5 years: 28.78%
- 8 years: 30.43%

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Nebraska: Omaha

Change in population:
- 1 year: 1.78%
- 5 years: 10.15%
- 8 years: 15.52%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.92%
- 5 years: 10.38%
- 8 years: 15.62%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.36%
- 5 years: 13.61%
- 8 years: 17.25%

Nevada: Enterprise

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.32%
- 5 years: 69.39%
- 8 years: 84.90%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.32%
- 5 years: 69.43%
- 8 years: 84.94%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.20%
- 5 years: 87.16%
- 8 years: 93.02%

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New Hampshire: Dover

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.12%
- 5 years: 6.01%
- 8 years: 7.92%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.35%
- 5 years: 6.33%
- 8 years: 8.48%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.44%
- 5 years: 10.02%
- 8 years: 12.36%

New Jersey: Lakewood

Change in population:
- 1 year: 21.28%
- 5 years: 22.08%
- 8 years: 31.59%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 21.99%
- 5 years: 22.99%
- 8 years: 33.36%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 25.56%
- 5 years: 57.09%
- 8 years: 55.56%

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New Mexico: Las Cruces

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.78%
- 5 years: 8.35%
- 8 years: 10.84%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.80%
- 5 years: 8.82%
- 8 years: 12.50%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 9.41%
- 5 years: 21.24%
- 8 years: 15.41%

New York: Kyras Joel

Change in population:
- 1 year: 25.43%
- 5 years: 50.00%
- 8 years: 56.74%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 26.04%
- 5 years: 50.81%
- 8 years: 56.20%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 42.94%
- 5 years: 94.01%
- 8 years: 66.52%

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North Carolina: Mooresville

Change in population:
- 1 year: 25.80%
- 5 years: 36.86%
- 8 years: 43.24%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 26.08%
- 5 years: 37.42%
- 8 years: 43.97%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 32.82%
- 5 years: 32.36%
- 8 years: 27.25%

North Dakota: West Fargo

Change in population:
- 1 year: 4.14%
- 5 years: 20.14%
- 8 years: 40.35%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.16%
- 5 years: 20.20%
- 8 years: 40.37%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.41%
- 5 years: 21.35%
- 8 years: 43.68%

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Ohio: Cincinnati

Change in population:
- 1 year: 1.97%
- 5 years: 3.57%
- 8 years: 3.87%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.08%
- 5 years: 3.70%
- 8 years: 4.06%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.61%
- 5 years: 7.52%
- 8 years: 2.53%

Oklahoma: Jenks

Change in population:
- 1 year: 9.93%
- 5 years: 26.99%
- 8 years: 43.56%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 9.90%
- 5 years: 26.83%
- 8 years: 43.85%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 11.49%
- 5 years: 21.94%
- 8 years: 39.90%

Oregon: Redmond

Change in population:
- 1 year: 5.74%
- 5 years: 18.44%
- 8 years: 24.74%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.86%
- 5 years: 18.74%
- 8 years: 25.07%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 13.14%
- 5 years: 50.69%
- 8 years: 48.45%

Pennsylvania: Hazelton

Change in population:
- 1 year: 18.28%
- 5 years: 17.57%
- 8 years: 16.27%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 18.59%
- 5 years: 18.68%
- 8 years: 17.10%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 22.36%
- 5 years: 5.70%
- 8 years: 5.25%

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Rhode Island: Providence

Change in population:
- 1 year: 5.20%
- 5 years: 5.57%
- 8 years: 6.04%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.50%
- 5 years: 5.73%
- 8 years: 6.57%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 13.79%
- 5 years: 28.03%
- 8 years: 24.19%

South Carolina: Bluffton

Change in population:
- 1 year: 19.07%
- 5 years: 75.05%
- 8 years: 112.74%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 19.16%
- 5 years: 74.30%
- 8 years: 111.83%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 17.19%
- 5 years: 108.32%
- 8 years: 154.26%

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

Change in population:
- 1 year: 4.60%
- 5 years: 12.73%
- 8 years: 20.03%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.96%
- 5 years: 12.88%
- 8 years: 20.13%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 5.71%
- 5 years: 12.81%
- 8 years: 20.04%

Tennessee: Spring Hill

Change in population:
- 1 year: 15.80%
- 5 years: 40.85%
- 8 years: 60.55%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 15.83%
- 5 years: 40.92%
- 8 years: 61.21%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 17.90%
- 5 years: 40.98%
- 8 years: 50.98%

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Texas: Timberwood Park

Change in population:
- 1 year: 34.01%
- 5 years: 26.97%
- 8 years: 39.89%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 34.01%
- 5 years: 26.97%
- 8 years: 39.89%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 32.94%
- 5 years: 32.95%
- 8 years: 46.62%

Utah: Herriman

Change in population:
- 1 year: 16.92%
- 5 years: 81.18%
- 8 years: 125.70%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 16.92%
- 5 years: 81.18%
- 8 years: 125.70%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 19.66%
- 5 years: 107.07%
- 8 years: 149.21%

Vermont: Burlington

Change in population:
- 1 year: 4.83%
- 5 years: 5.05%
- 8 years: 5.60%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.85%
- 5 years: 4.60%
- 8 years: 4.32%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 7.96%
- 5 years: 5.35%
- 8 years: -3.38%

Virginia: Woodbridge

Change in population:
- 1 year: 0.51%
- 5 years: 863.35%
- 8 years: 840.66%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 0.53%
- 5 years: 865.16%
- 8 years: 841.95%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 0.17%
- 5 years: 770.71%
- 8 years: 775.65%

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Washington: Redmond

Change in population:
- 1 year: 6.19%
- 5 years: 21.76%
- 8 years: 30.02%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 6.24%
- 5 years: 21.93%
- 8 years: 30.53%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.39%
- 5 years: 16.15%
- 8 years: 22.65%

West Virginia: Charleston

Change in population:
- 1 year: 3.77%
- 5 years: -2.30%
- 8 years: -4.07%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.43%
- 5 years: -1.76%
- 8 years: -4.48%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 4.96%
- 5 years: 5.06%
- 8 years: -7.87%

Wisconsin: Madison

Change in population:
- 1 year: 2.74%
- 5 years: 7.89%
- 8 years: 11.82%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.84%
- 5 years: 8.33%
- 8 years: 12.32%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 2.46%
- 5 years: 8.55%
- 8 years: 9.18%

Wyoming: Cheyenne

Change in population:
- 1 year: 0.80%
- 5 years: 2.75%
- 8 years: 6.74%
Change in occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 1.09%
- 5 years: 3.06%
- 8 years: 6.84%
Change in owner-occupied housing units:
- 1 year: 0.78%
- 5 years: 12.30%
- 8 years: 20.90%

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Jami Farkas and 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 2021 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 2021, 2020, 2016 and 2013 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 collected and is up to date as of Dec. 8, 2022.