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The Biggest Boomtown in Every State

December 1, 2025

8 min Read

Written by Heather Taylor

Edited by Chris Cluff

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Looking to make a move that will benefit your finances? Consider relocating to one of these 49 boomtowns experiencing positive economic activity and population growth.

Using the 5-year 2023 and 2015 U.S. Census American Community Survey, GOBankingRates analyzed cities with total populations between 25,000 and 500,000. (Hawaii’s locations are considered Census Designated Places and weren’t used in this study.) We sourced each city’s total population and per capita income and calculated the eight-year changes (2015-2023) in quantity and percentages to identify the city in each state with the largest population increase.

Key Findings

Fulshear, Texas, is the biggest boomtown in the United States. Over the span of eight years, this Southern city has grown by a whopping 736% in total population.
The total population in South Carolina, Arizona and Utah’s respective boomtowns has increased by more than 100%. Fort Mill (126%), Queen Creek (120%) and Herriman (115%) have experienced triple-digit resident growth from 2015 to 2023.
13 U.S. boomtowns have seen their populations skyrocket by more than 50%. They include Fulshear (TX), Fort Mill (SC), Queen Creek (AZ), Herriman (UT), Fuquay-Varina (NC), Windsor (CO), Kiryas Joel (NY), Lathrop (CA), Spring Hill (TN), Waukee (IA), Kuna (ID), Happy Valley (OR) and Westfield (IN).

In alphabetical state order, here’s the biggest boomtown in every state. Plus, find out how much it costs to live in a boomtown.

1. Auburn, Alabama

2023 total population: 78,738
2023 per capita income: $35,416
% change in population (2015-23): 34.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 40.2%

2. Fairbanks, Alaska

2023 total population: 32,242
2023 per capita income: $36,392
% change in population (2015-23): 0.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 32.9%

3. Queen Creek, Arizona

2023 total population: 66,369
2023 per capita income: $50,866
% change in population (2015-23): 120.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 65.7%

4. Bentonville, Arkansas

2023 total population: 56,326
2023 per capita income: $55,695
% change in population (2015-23): 39.5%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 59%

5. Lathrop, California

2023 total population: 32,696
2023 per capita income: $36,037
% change in population (2015-23): 66.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 94.6%

6. Windsor, Colorado

2023 total population: 35,918
2023 per capita income: $55,691
% change in population (2015-23): 75.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 52.5%

7. Stamford, Connecticut

2023 total population: 135,806
2023 per capita income: $64,382
% change in population (2015-23): 7.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 34.6%

8. Dover, Delaware

2023 total population: 39,491
2023 per capita income: $30,801
% change in population (2015-23): 6.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 40.3%

9. Saint Cloud, Florida

2023 total population: 61,963
2023 per capita income: $28,985
% change in population (2015-23): 49.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 33.9%

10. Canton, Georgia

2023 total population: 34,587
2023 per capita income: $35,206
% change in population (2015-23): 42.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 52.1%

11. Kuna, Idaho

2023 total population: 25,960
2023 per capita income: $33,924
% change in population (2015-23): 56.8%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 74.3%

12. Plainfield, Illinois

2023 total population: 45,705
2023 per capita income: $53,675
% change in population (2015-23): 11.9%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 43.2%

13. Westfield, Indiana

2023 total population: 51,109
2023 per capita income: $59,636
% change in population (2015-23): 51.5%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 56.9%

14. Waukee, Iowa

2023 total population: 26,974
2023 per capita income: $52,233
% change in population (2015-23): 59.1%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 33.4%

15. Lenexa, Kansas

2023 total population: 57,986
2023 per capita income: $55,993
% change in population (2015-23): 15%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 43.6%

16. Georgetown, Kentucky

2023 total population: 38,206
2023 per capita income: $35,759
% change in population (2015-23): 23.4%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 43.6%

17. Lake Charles, Louisiana

2023 total population: 81,679
2023 per capita income: $35,847
% change in population (2015-23): 10.1%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 49.8%

18. South Portland, Maine

2023 total population: 26,780
2023 per capita income: $49,719
% change in population (2015-23): 5.8%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 62.4%

19. Frederick, Maryland

2023 total population: 80,617
2023 per capita income: $47,262
% change in population (2015-23): 19.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 47.5%

20. Revere, Massachusetts

2023 total population: 59,933
2023 per capita income: $38,775
% change in population (2015-23): 12.9%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 45%

21. Hamtramck, Michigan

2023 total population: 27,830
2023 per capita income: $14,820
% change in population (2015-23): 25.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 40.4%

22. Lakeville, Minnesota

2023 total population: 72,480
2023 per capita income: $56,494
% change in population (2015-23): 23.7%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 51.2%

23. Olive Branch, Mississippi

2023 total population: 46,538
2023 per capita income: $40,626
% change in population (2015-23): 32.9%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 46.7%

24. Wentzville, Missouri

2023 total population: 45,734
2023 per capita income: $45,841
% change in population (2015-23): 39.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 60.6%

25. Bozeman, Montana

2023 total population: 55,042
2023 per capita income: $48,994
% change in population (2015-23): 36.5%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 84.8%

26. Bellevue, Nebraska

2023 total population: 64,355
2023 per capita income: $40,018
% change in population (2015-23): 19%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 48.9%

27. Henderson, Nevada

2023 total population: 324,523
2023 per capita income: $49,141
% change in population (2015-23): 19.4%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 47%

28. Rochester, New Hampshire

2023 total population: 32,866
2023 per capita income: $40,144
% change in population (2015-23): 9.7%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 51%

29. Jersey City, New Jersey

2023 total population: 289,691
2023 per capita income: $57,746
% change in population (2015-23): 11.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 72.8%

30. Rio Rancho, New Mexico

2023 total population: 106,533
2023 per capita income: $39,161
% change in population (2015-23): 16%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 45%

31. Kiryas Joel, New York

2023 total population: 36,572
2023 per capita income: $12,973
% change in population (2015-23): 68.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 69.4%

32. Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

2023 total population: 37,749
2023 per capita income: $43,460
% change in population (2015-23): 76.4%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 64.4%

33. West Fargo, North Dakota

2023 total population: 39,325
2023 per capita income: $48,454
% change in population (2015-23): 31.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 45.7%

34. Perrysburg, Ohio

2023 total population: 25,065
2023 per capita income: $60,627
% change in population (2015-23): 18%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 57%

35. Jenks, Oklahoma

2023 total population: 26,519
2023 per capita income: $43,870
% change in population (2015-23): 39.4%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 31.2%

36. Happy Valley, Oregon

2023 total population: 25,572
2023 per capita income: $54,342
% change in population (2015-23): 55.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 41.7%

37. Hazleton, Pennsylvania

2023 total population: 29,886
2023 per capita income: $22,018
% change in population (2015-23): 19.1%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 29.7%

38. Providence, Rhode Island

2023 total population: 190,214
2023 per capita income: $36,694
% change in population (2015-23): 6.5%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 64.8%

39. Fort Mill, South Carolina

2023 total population: 28,281
2023 per capita income: $51,585
% change in population (2015-23): 125.8%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 63.6%

40. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

2023 total population: 197,642
2023 per capita income: $43,231
% change in population (2015-23): 20.3%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 51.6%

41. Spring Hill, Tennessee

2023 total population: 53,585
2023 per capita income: $46,007
% change in population (2015-23): 63.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 58.5%

42. Fulshear, Texas

2023 total population: 26,986
2023 per capita income: $62,708
% change in population (2015-23): 736%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 6.1%

43. Herriman, Utah

2023 total population: 57,336
2023 per capita income: $37,678
% change in population (2015-23): 114.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 65.5%

44. Burlington, Vermont

2023 total population: 44,649
2023 per capita income: $39,027
% change in population (2015-23): 4.9%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 58%

45. Suffolk, Virginia

2023 total population: 96,638
2023 per capita income: $45,135
% change in population (2015-23): 12.1%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 52.4%

46. Tumwater, Washington

2023 total population: 26,519
2023 per capita income: $48,005
% change in population (2015-23): 43.5%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 65.6%

47. Morgantown, West Virginia

2023 total population: 30,273
2023 per capita income: $30,286
% change in population (2015-23): 0.4%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 37%

48. Fitchburg, Wisconsin

2023 total population: 31,566
2023 per capita income: $55,926
% change in population (2015-23): 18.6%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 60.6%

49. Gillette, Wyoming

2023 total population: 33,278
2023 per capita income: $39,578
% change in population (2015-23): 5.2%
% change in per capita income (2015-23): 23.4%

Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed.

Methodology: Using the 5-year 2023 and 2015 U.S. Census American Community Survey, places with total populations between 25,000 and 500,000 and identified as a city in the ACS were selected for this study. Locations in Hawaii are considered CDPs and were not used. A number of factors were sourced, including population and per capita income. The 8-year changes in quantity and percentages for each data point were calculated for every city, and the city in each state with the largest increase in total population were identified. All data was collected on Nov. 11, 2025.

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