Boomtown. The word sounds like it’s describing an explosion — and in a way, it is. Boomtowns are fast-growing cities, due to rapid business and population growth.
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Check Out: 9 Things You Must Do To Grow Your Wealth in 2024
GOBankingRates found one in every state by looking at the changes in population, housing units and incomes of cities with populations of more than 25,000 but less than 500,000. Check out the list and find out whether you’re living in one of America’s most thriving cities.
Alabama: Huntsville
- Change in population since 2014: 30,893 (14.4%)
- Population: 215,025
- Change in per-capita income: 28.2%
- Per-capita income: $43,202
- Change in occupied housing units: 15,332 (16.6%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 7,046 (13.3%)
Find Out: The 30 Safest and Richest US Cities To Live in 2024
Also See: What Is the Median Income for the Upper Middle Class in 2024?
Alaska: Anchorage
- Change in population since 2014: (7,054) (-2.6%)
- Population: 290,674
- Change in per-capita income: 21.6%
- Per-capita income: $46,554
- Change in occupied housing units: 1,970 (1.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,428 (7.9%)
Learn More: Here’s What the US Minimum Wage Was the Year You Were Born
Arizona: Buckeye
- Change in population since 2014: 40,115 (42.2%)
- Population: 95,042
- Change in per-capita income: 37.3%
- Per-capita income: $32,141
- Change in occupied housing units: 12,709 (45.2%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 13,734 (57.3%)
Arkansas: Bentonville
- Change in population since 2014: 15,941 (29.2%)
- Population: 54,513
- Change in per-capita income: 32.9%
- Per-capita income: $51,917
- Change in occupied housing units: 6,632 (31.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,843 (26.2%)
California: Irvine
- Change in population since 2014: 74,677 (24.5%)
- Population: 304,527
- Change in per-capita income: 26.8%
- Per-capita income: $59,354
- Change in occupied housing units: 27,144 (24.6%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 7,427 (15.3%)
Colorado: Colorado Springs
- Change in population since 2014: 46,065 (9.6%)
- Population: 479,612
- Change in per-capita income: 29.9%
- Per-capita income: $41,849
- Change in occupied housing units: 22,876 (11.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 17,864 (15.1%)
Connecticut: Bridgeport
- Change in population since 2014: 1,790 (1.2%)
- Population: 148,470
- Change in per-capita income: 30.7%
- Per-capita income: $29,506
- Change in occupied housing units: 5,516 (9.9%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 4,544 (18.1%)
Check Out: How Much Do You Get for One Person on SNAP 2024?
Delaware: Wilmington
- Change in population since 2014: (229) (-0.3%)
- Population: 71,034
- Change in per-capita income: 29.5%
- Per-capita income: $36,446
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,565 (8.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 778 (5.4%)
Florida: Horizon West
- Change in population since 2014: 41,373 (70.6%)
- Population: 58,595
- Change in per-capita income: 29.6%
- Per-capita income: $48,282
- Change in occupied housing units: 12,812 (68.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 8,666 (68.9%)
Georgia: Atlanta
- Change in population since 2014: 54,197 (11.0%)
- Population: 494,838
- Change in per-capita income: 41.2%
- Per-capita income: $60,778
- Change in occupied housing units: 45,707 (20.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 23,707 (22.8%)
Hawaii: Honolulu
- Change in population since 2014: 3,417 (1.0%)
- Population: 348,547
- Change in per-capita income: 32.0%
- Per-capita income: $45,784
- Change in occupied housing units: 6,335 (4.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 9,306 (14.4%)
Idaho: Meridian
- Change in population since 2014: 38,847 (32.4%)
- Population: 119,872
- Change in per-capita income: 40%
- Per-capita income: $44,540
- Change in occupied housing units: 14,412 (33.6%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 11,319 (34.6%)
Read More: How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?
Illinois: Plainfield
- 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%)
Indiana: Westfield
- 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%)
Iowa: Waukee
- 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%)
Kansas: Olathe
- 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%)
Kentucky: Lexington
- Change in population since 2014: 16,803 (5.2%)
- Population: 321,276
- Change in per-capita income: 28.8%
- Per-capita income: $40,953
- Change in occupied housing units: 12,003 (8.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,841 (7.9%)
Louisiana: Prairieville
- Change in population since 2014: 5,750 (16.8%)
- Population: 34,215
- Change in per-capita income: 27.7%
- Per-capita income: $46,811
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,662 (21.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,297 (21.2%)
Maine: Portland
- Change in population since 2014: 1,963 (2.9%)
- Population: 68,280
- Change in per-capita income: 39.7%
- Per-capita income: $48,806
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,146 (6.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 1,565 (10.6%)
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Maryland: Laurel
- Change in population since 2014: 12,396 (43.7%)
- Population: 28,337
- Change in per-capita income: 20%
- Per-capita income: $56,045
- Change in occupied housing units: 3,938 (45.0%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 3,463 (44.7%)
Massachusetts: Wellesley
- Change in population since 2014: 1,004 (3.4%)
- Population: 29,862
- Change in per-capita income: 35.8%
- Per-capita income: $111,690
- Change in occupied housing units: 362 (4%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 460 (6.1%)
Michigan: Allendale
- 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%)
Minnesota: Minneapolis
- 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%)
Mississippi: Olive Branch
- Change in population since 2014: 11,395 (24.8%)
- Population: 45,938
- Change in per-capita income: 31.3%
- Per-capita income: $40,277
- Change in occupied housing units: 4,210 (24.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 4,099 (29.5%)
Check Out: How Long $1 Million in Retirement Will Last in Every State
Missouri: Wentzville
- 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%)
Montana: Bozeman
- Change in population since 2014: 14,377 (26.9%)
- Population: 53,500
- Change in per-capita income: 41.5%
- Per-capita income: $45,037
- Change in occupied housing units: 5,968 (27.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,322 (24.1%)
Nebraska: Omaha
- 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%)
Nevada: Henderson
- Change in population since 2014: 51,818 (16.3%)
- Population: 318,063
- Change in per-capita income: 29.1%
- Per-capita income: $46,882
- Change in occupied housing units: 22,575 (18.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 17,923 (22.1%)
New Hampshire: Dover
- Change in population since 2014: 2,517 (7.7%)
- Population: 32,849
- Change in per-capita income: 38.7%
- Per-capita income: $52,752
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,020 (13.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 1,210 (16%)
New Jersey: Jersey City
- Change in population since 2014: 32,038 (11.1%)
- Population: 287,899
- Change in per-capita income: 39.9%
- Per-capita income: $54,582
- Change in occupied housing units: 22,644 (19%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,994 (17.2%)
Discover More: Here’s the Income Needed To Be in the Top 1% in All 50 States
New Mexico: Rio Rancho
- Change in population since 2014: 13,724 (13.2%)
- Population: 104,351
- Change in per-capita income: 24.4%
- Per-capita income: $36,247
- Change in occupied housing units: 5,616 (14.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,396 (17.4%)
New York: Kyras Joel
- Change in population since 2014: 13,167 (38.3%)
- Population: 34,368
- Change in per-capita income: 37.9%
- Per-capita income: $12,114
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,430 (39.2%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 652 (33%)
North Carolina: Apex
- Change in population since 2014: 24,910 (38%)
- Population: 65,541
- Change in per-capita income: 35.9%
- Per-capita income: $55,896
- Change in occupied housing units: 9,154 (39.9%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 7,443 (43.1%)
North Dakota: Fargo
- 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%)
Ohio: Marysville
- 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%)
Find Out: Here’s Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire in Your State
Oklahoma: Broken Arrow
- Change in population since 2014: 12,320 (10.8%)
- Population: 114,237
- Change in per-capita income: 33.9%
- Per-capita income: $45,118
- Change in occupied housing units: 5,848 (13.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,552 (8.3%)
Oregon: Bend
- Change in population since 2014: 19,744 (19.9%)
- Population: 99,442
- Change in per-capita income: 39.6%
- Per-capita income: $51,254
- Change in occupied housing units: 9,709 (23%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 6,900 (26.7%)
Pennsylvania: Reading
- Change in population since 2014: 6,550 (6.9%)
- Population: 94,601
- Change in per-capita income: 35.8%
- Per-capita income: $20,782
- Change in occupied housing units: 2,257 (6.9%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: (192) (-1.5%)
Rhode Island: Providence
- Change in population since 2014: 11,153 (5.9%)
- Population: 189,715
- Change in per-capita income: 36.5%
- Per-capita income: $34,521
- Change in occupied housing units: 8,143 (11.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 6,258 (22.7%)
South Carolina: Bluffton
- Change in population since 2014: 15,396 (52.4%)
- Population: 29,375
- Change in per-capita income: 50.9%
- Per-capita income: $52,381
- Change in occupied housing units: 6,249 (58.5%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,523 (62.8%)
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
- 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%)
Read More: See What a $100K Salary Looks Like After Taxes in Your State
Tennessee: Spring Hill
- Change in population since 2014: 19,852 (38.7%)
- Population: 51,319
- Change in per-capita income: 32.7%
- Per-capita income: $42,724
- Change in occupied housing units: 7,466 (41.8%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 5,253 (39.2%)
Texas: Leander
- Change in population since 2014: 32,451 (51.9%)
- Population: 62,491
- Change in per-capita income: 45.7%
- Per-capita income: $52,419
- Change in occupied housing units: 12,183 (57.2%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 9,168 (56.3%)
Utah: Herriman
- Change in population since 2014: 30,279 (54.8%)
- Population: 55,301
- Change in per-capita income: 38.8%
- Per-capita income: $37,331
- Change in occupied housing units: 9,818 (61.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 8,305 (63.5%)
Vermont: Burlington
- Change in population since 2014: 2,304 (5.2%)
- Population: 44,646
- Change in per-capita income: 33.2%
- Per-capita income: $37,789
- Change in occupied housing units: 1,111 (6.4%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 332 (4.8%)
Virginia: Woodbridge
- Change in population since 2014: 38,092 (89.4%)
- Population: 42,619
- Change in per-capita income: -16.7%
- Per-capita income: $40,321
- Change in occupied housing units: 11,867 (86.9%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 6,984 (85.2%)
Washington: Redmond
- Change in population since 2014: 17,024 (23.1%)
- Population: 73,728
- Change in per-capita income: 38.5%
- Per-capita income: $82,565
- Change in occupied housing units: 6,670 (22.1%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 2,096 (14.9%)
West Virginia: Morgantown
- Change in population since 2014: 87 (0.3%)
- Population: 30,220
- Change in per-capita income: 25.2%
- Per-capita income: $28,620
- Change in occupied housing units: 1,980 (16.5%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 1,003 (19.3%)
Wisconsin: Madison
- 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%)
Wyoming: Cheyenne
- Change in population since 2014: 3,325 (5.1%)
- Population: 64,795
- Change in per-capita income: 32%
- Per-capita income: $41,908
- Change in occupied housing units: 3,299 (11.7%)
- Change in owner-occupied housing units: 3,978 (20.3%)
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.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Biggest Boomtown in Every State
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