Biggest Boomtowns in the Midwest

What do cities like Omaha, Madison and Minneapolis all have in common? Aside from being metros with affordable cost of living, they’re also the biggest boomtowns within their respective Midwestern states.

To find every state’s biggest boomtown, including those in the Midwest, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey in the years 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2022. Key factors sourced include the total population, owner-occupied housing, occupied housing units and per-capita income.

Can you guess each of the biggest Midwestern boomtowns?

• Change in population since 2014: 4,300 (9.6%)
  • Population: 44,941
• Change in per-capita income: 32.6%
  • Per-capita income: $53,441
• Change in occupied housing units: 1,946 (14.0%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,220 (17.8%)

• Change in population since 2014: 15,836 (32.8%)
  • Population: 48,262
• Change in per-capita income: 36.5%
  • Per-capita income: $58,223
• Change in occupied housing units: 6,397 (35.8%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,138 (36.0%)

• Change in population since 2014: 9,101 (36.3%)
  • Population: 25,045
• Change in per-capita income: 25.2%
  • Per-capita income: $51,536
• Change in occupied housing units: 4,176 (42.1%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,271 (32.4%)

• Change in population since 2014: 9,101 (36.3%)
  • Population: 25,045
• Change in per-capita income: 25.2%
  • Per-capita income: $51,536
• Change in occupied housing units: 4,176 (42.1%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,271 (32.4%)

• Change in population since 2014: 6,813 (27%)
  • Population: 25,206
• Change in per-capita income: 31.6%
  • Per-capita income: $24,332
• Change in occupied housing units: 2,415 (33.1%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 629 (17.6%)

• Change in population since 2014: 32,453 (7.6%)
  • Population: 426,877
• Change in per-capita income: 33.4%
  • Per-capita income: $48,373
• Change in occupied housing units: 18,850 (10.2%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 8,226 (9.2%)

• Change in population since 2014: 12,993 (29.1%)
  • Population: 44,584
• Change in per-capita income: 35.7%
  • Per-capita income: $43,823
• Change in occupied housing units: 4,443 (29.6%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 3,649 (28.7%)

• Change in population since 2014: 53,474 (11%)
  • Population: 489,201
• Change in per-capita income: 32.1%
  • Per-capita income: $40,081
• Change in occupied housing units: 25,808 (13%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 14,606 (12.8%)

• Change in population since 2014: 16,594 (13%)
  • Population: 127,319
• Change in per-capita income: 27.3%
  • Per-capita income: $41,263
• Change in occupied housing units: 7,932 (13.9%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 3,432 (13.7%)

• Change in population since 2014: 3,033 (11.8%)
  • Population: 25,806
• Change in per-capita income: 45.9%
  • Per-capita income: $42,238
• Change in occupied housing units: 1,864 (19.8%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,126 (31.8%)

• Change in population since 2014: 32,437 (16.8%)
  • Population: 193,401
• Change in per-capita income: 30%
  • Per-capita income: $40,198
• Change in occupied housing units: 15,556 (19.5%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 8,852 (18.5%)

• Change in population since 2014: 28,668 (10.7%)
  • Population: 268,516
• Change in per-capita income: 32.1%
  • Per-capita income: $46,652
• Change in occupied housing units: 17,340 (14.4%)
• Change in owner-occupied housing units: 6,449 (11.4%)

Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the American Community Survey data in the United States Census to find the biggest boomtowns in every state. Using the surveys from 2022, 2021, 2017 and 2014, GOBankingRates found total population, owner-occupied housing, occupied housing units and per-capita income. The highest-scoring city was kept for each state and a number of factors were found for each city, including total population, total households and household median income, all sourced from the American Community Survey. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous cost-of-living indexes. Using the cost-of-living indexes and the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location was calculated. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for September 2024. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Oct. 21, 2024.