Every US state's fastest-growing small town

US Census data shows population growth in every state's small towns from 2020 to 2024.
Many of the towns are in close proximity to major cities, often within 25 miles.
Westlake, Florida, Hoschton, Georgia, and Josephine, Texas reported the largest population growth.

The US population has grown by roughly 58 million since 2000, but the nation's biggest cities aren't the only areas seeing increases.

Whether it's suburbs next to urban areas or towns that have become hot spots in their own right, all 50 states are seeing population growth in small- and medium-sized towns.

Business Insider used the latest four-year Census data, ranging from April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2024, to calculate the population growth percentage in each state's towns and cities across the time period.

In the interest of avoiding municipalities with negligible populations, we focused on places with a population of more than 1,000 residents at the time of the 2020 Census. We also excluded unincorporated areas and Census-designated places belonging to a larger city. Of the 50 towns, most have populations under 20,000.

Here's each state's fastest-growing city or town.

Triana, Alabama

Huntsville, Alabama skyline at nighttime.

2020 population: 3,005

2024 population: 4,936

Percentage growth: 64%

Sitting in the northern region of Alabama along the Tennessee River, Triana was named the fourth-best suburb to live in Alabama by Niche, a real-estate and education ranking platform.

Wasilla, Alaska

2020 population: 9,115

2024 population: 10,318

Percentage growth: 13%

Wasilla sits roughly 40 miles north of Anchorage, the state's largest city. As of 2020, Wasilla had just 732 residents per square mile, according to Census data.

Coolidge, Arizona

2020 population: 13,433

2024 population: 19,674

Percentage growth: 46%

Coolidge sits between Phoenix and Tucson and is home to the site of the Casa Grande Ruins, containing fragments of Native American structures. Sitting in the Sonoran Desert, the town sees frequent daily temperatures above 100-degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.

Tontitown, Arkansas

2020 population: 4,685

2024 population: 7,941

Percentage growth: 70%

Tontitown sits in the Ozark Mountains and hosts the annual Tontitown Grape Festival, a popular tradition dating back 128 years.

Paradise, California

Historic buildings in Oroville, California.

2020 population: 5,089

2024 population: 9,114

Percentage growth: 79%

The rapid growth can largely be attributed to Paradise's recovery after the 2018 Camp Fire, which ravaged the community. Per the Census, the town had over 26,000 residents in 2010, and is still rebuilding after being at the heart of the deadliest fire in the state's history.

Keenesburg, Colorado

2020 population: 1,259

2024 population: 2,054

Percentage growth: 63%

Located about 40 miles northeast of Denver, Keenesburg's main attraction is the Wild Animal Sanctuary, a 33,000-acre refuge designed for large carnivores.

Somers, Connecticut

2020 population: 10,080

2024 population: 10,905

Percentage growth: 8%

Located on the Connecticut-Massachusetts border, Somers was originally incorporated in Massachusetts before becoming part of Connecticut in 1749, according to the city.

Cheswold, Delaware

2020 population: 1,934

2024 population: 2,537

Percentage growth: 31%

In 2000, Cheswold had just over 300 residents, per the Census.

Westlake, Florida

2020 population: 1,050

2024 population: 7,664

Percentage growth: 630%

Westlake was formerly farmland before the land was purchased by Minto Group, a real-estate company with development plans for the area. The town only officially became a municipality in 2016.

Occupying over 6 miles of land, Westlake has thousands of single-family residential homes with more under construction, according to the town.

Hoschton, Georgia

2020 population: 2,758

2024 population: 6,723

Percentage growth: 144%

Hoschton lies about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta and 30 miles northwest of Athens.

Hawai'i County, Hawaii

2020 population: 200,754

2024 population: 209,790

Percentage growth: 4.5%

Hawaii holds the distinction of being the only US state without official incorporated municipalities. The state's towns are governed at the county level.

Of the five counties — Hawai'i, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kaua'i, and Maui — Hawai'i County, commonly known as the "Big Island," reported the largest population growth from 2020 to 2024.

Star, Idaho

Skyline of Boise, Idaho with flowers in the foreground.

2020 population: 11,466

2024 population: 18,208

Percentage growth: 59%

Star is located just 15 miles northwest of Boise.

Wonder Lake, Illinois

2020 population: 3,970

2024 population: 5,296

Percentage growth: 33%

Wonder Lake sits just below the Illinois-Wisconsin border, about 65 miles between Milwaukee and Chicago.

Whitestown, Indiana

2020 population: 10,350

2024 population: 14,564

Percentage growth: 41%

Whitestown, which is just over 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis, is home to more than 50 acres of parks and 13 miles of trails.

Tiffin, Iowa

2020 population: 4,624

2024 population: 6,695

Percentage growth: 45%

The fast-growing suburb sits F. W. Kent County Park, a sought-after destination in the state for outdoor activities. Tiffin is located 22 miles south of Cedar Rapids.

Spring Hill, Kansas

2020 population: 3,068

2024 population: 3,843

Percentage growth: 25%

Located near Kansas City, Missouri, Spring Hill is part of both Miami and Johnson counties.

Elkton, Kentucky

2020 population: 2,064

2024 population: 2,330

Percentage growth: 13%

Nashville is the nearest major city to Elkton, located about 60 miles south of the town.

Maurice, Louisiana

2020 population: 2,185

2024 population: 3,071

Percentage growth: 41%

Maurice is just southwest of Lafayette, Louisiana's fourth-largest city.

Greenville, Maine

2020 population: 1,441

2024 population: 1,677

Percentage growth: 16%

Far from the cities of Portland and Bangor, Greenville is located further inland at the southern tip of Moosehead Lake, the state's largest freshwater body, according to Visit Maine. Greenville sits roughly 60 miles from the US-Canada Border.

Trappe, Maryland

2020 population: 1,176

2024 population: 1,472

Percentage growth: 25%

Trappe has seen growth in population in part because of a modern housing development, Lakeside at Trappe.

Millis, Massachusetts

Aerial view of Bellingham, Massachusetts.

2020 population: 8,501

2024 population: 9,338

Percentage growth: 9.9%

Millis, less than 30 miles southwest of Boston, saw large population growth in the first half of the decade largely due to immigration.

The state's population as a whole is slowing due to declining immigration in the past year, the Worcester Telegram reported.

Manton, Michigan

A two-story building on a street corner.

2020 population: 1,272

2024 population: 1,530

Percentage growth: 20%

Manton was a finalist in Reader's Digest's "Nicest Place in America" ranking in 2021.

Dayton, Minnesota

2020 population: 7,434

2024 population: 10,744

Percentage growth: 45%

Dayton is a relatively wealthy suburb, with a high homeownership rate and a median household income of $148,947 in 2024, per 2024 Census data.

Dayton is under 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Sumrall, Mississippi

2020 population: 1,775

2024 population: 2,172

Percentage growth: 22%

Sumrall sits just over 15 miles northwest of Hattiesburg, Mississippi's fifth-largest city.

Rogersville, Missouri

Buildings illuminated in Springfield, Missouri.

2020 population: 3,898

2024 population: 5,344

Percentage growth: 37%

According to 2024 Census data, there's a ratio of about 3.2 households to one resident in Rogersville, which is above the national average.

The town is located 20 miles east of Springfield.

Kalispell, Montana

2020 population: 25,267

2024 population: 31,296

Percentage growth: 24%

According to the 2024 Census data, Kalispell is the seventh-largest city in Montana by population and the eighth-largest by land area.

Hickman, Nebraska

2020 population: 2,637

2024 population: 3,285

Percentage growth: 25%

Hickman's population has more than tripled since 2000, per the Census. The town is under 20 miles south of Lincoln, the state's capital city.

Mesquite, Nevada

2020 population: 20,608

2024 population: 23,599

Percentage growth: 15%

Mesquite sits in the Mojave Desert and borders Arizona. The nearest major city is Las Vegas, roughly 80 miles southwest of Mesquite.

Merrimack, New Hampshire

A sign that says "Merrimack 1750: One Town, Four Villages" in front of the town hall.

2020 population: 26,835

2024 population: 29,367

Percentage growth: 9.4%

Merrimack is comprised of four villages.

Seaside Park, New Jersey

2020 population: 1,443

2024 population: 2,058

Percentage growth: 43%

Seaside Park neighbors Seaside Heights, a popular Jersey Shore destination known for its amusement park.

Los Lunas, New Mexico

2020 population: 17,440

2024 population: 19,907

Percentage growth: 14%

Los Lunas has held significance at different points in American history, including when it was used as a bombing range after World War II, according to the Center for Land Use Interpretation.

The town is about 20 miles south of Albuquerque.

Kiryas Joel, New York

2020 population: 33,510

2024 population: 43,863

Percentage growth: 31%

Also known as Palm Tree, the village of Kiryas Joel has a predominantly Hasidic Jewish population and covers only 1.46 square miles, per the 2020 Census.

Wendell, North Carolina

2020 population: 9,991

2024 population: 16,845

Percentage growth: 69%

Wendell is within 20 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina's second most-populous city. The growth is expected to continue, with 1,900 new homes under construction in the town, the area's ABC 11 reported.

Horace, North Dakota

2020 population: 3,249

2024 population: 6,286

Percentage growth: 93%

Horace is a suburb of Fargo, North Dakota's largest city by population, and is itself the 13th most populous city in the state.

South Bloomfield, Ohio

2020 population: 2,149

2024 population: 3,747

Percentage growth: 74%

South Bloomfield is located 20 miles south of Columbus.

Newcastle, Oklahoma

2020 population: 11,170

2024 population: 14,677

Percentage growth: 31%

A suburb of Oklahoma City, Newcastle appeared on 24/7 Wall St.'s "The Best City to Live in Every State" list in 2019.

Estacada, Oregon

A bridge in front of buildings in Portland, Oregon.

2020 population: 4,538

2024 population: 5,591

Percentage growth: 23%

Estacada is roughly 30 miles southeast of Portland.

Westfall, Pennsylvania

2020 population: 2,533

2024 population: 3,394

Percentage growth: 34%

Westfall is located in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania and borders both New Jersey and New York.

A big factor in the town's population growth has been the spike in its Hispanic and Latino population since 2010, the Pike County Courier reported.

Glocester, Rhode Island

2020 population: 9,981

2024 population: 10,512

Percentage growth: 5.3%

Glocester, seated 20 miles northwest of Providence, contains the villages of Harmony and Chepachet.

Hardeeville, South Carolina

2020 population: 7,733

2024 population: 13,862

Percentage growth: 79%

Located under 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, Hardeeville has historically had the nickname "The Lowcountry Host" for its many hotels and accommodations for travelers, per the Hardeeville Police Department.

Harrisburg, South Dakota

2020 population: 6,847

2024 population: 10,203

Percentage growth: 49%

Harrisburg, just 10 miles south of Sioux Falls, has 3.7 miles of land area, per 2020 Census data.

Lebanon, Tennessee

2020 population: 38,894

2024 population: 51,501

Percentage growth: 32%

Located 30 minutes east of Nashville, Lebanon is becoming a population hub in its own right. The town is home to the Nashville Superspeedway and Cumberland University.

Josephine, Texas

2020 population: 2,260

2024 population: 8,807

Percentage growth: 290%

Josephine, 40 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area, is experiencing a major housing boom. Companies like D.R. Horton are constructing developments with hundreds of homes, and the low cost of living in the area is attracting a lot of millennial first-time homebuyers, Business Insider's Alcynna Lloyd reported.

Saratoga Springs, Utah

Houses on the shore of Utah Lake with a mountain in the background.

2020 population: 38,300

2024 population: 57,411

Percentage growth: 50%

Saratoga Springs sits along Utah Lake and is among Utah's 15 most populous cities. Saratoga Springs has a reputation for safety, with its total crime rate 69% below the national average, per Best Utah Real Estate.

Newport, Vermont

2020 population: 1,582

2024 population: 2,421

Percentage growth: 53%

The town, a distinct municipality from the neighboring city of Newport, is just over 5 miles south of the US-Canada border and is one of Vermont's least populous municipalities.

Louisa, Virginia

2020 population: 1,993

2024 population: 2,201

Percentage growth: 10%

Louisa is located roughly 50 miles northwest of Richmond.

Ridgefield, Washington

2020 population: 10,872

2024 population: 15,359

Percentage growth: 41%

Located near Vancouver, Washington, Ridgefield has a history as a Native American village site, which was visited during the Lewis and Clark expedition, the city says.

Charles Town, West Virginia

2020 population: 6,526

2024 population: 8,869

Percentage growth: 36%

Charles Town was notably founded by Charles Washington, the youngest brother of President George Washington, according to the city.

Lannon, Wisconsin

2020 population: 1,419

2024 population: 2,048

Percentage growth: 44%

Lannon's growth can largely be attributed to new investments in the town, such as housing developments, TMJ 4 Milwaukee reported. Lannon is located about 20 miles northwest of Milwaukee.

Alpine, Wyoming