Americans have a broad variety of choices when determining what kinds of communities they wish to settle in and live their lives. While some are drawn to the buzz of the big city, others prefer smaller cities where the pace of life is more relaxed, and communities are more tight-knit. In this report, AdvisorSmith examines the small cities in the United States whose populations are growing and shrinking the most quickly.
We examined the population growth in 474 small, American-incorporated cities, towns, and villages during the five-year period between 2014 and 2019, based upon population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. We considered cities that had populations between 50,000 and 100,000 residents, and we calculated the compounded annual growth rate in population growth during the study period.
We found that the average small city had a population growth of 0.9% per year among cities included in our analysis. The growth rates ranged from (-1.5)% up to 12.5% per year population growth. Cities in the West and South dominated the list of fastest-growing small cities while cities in the Midwest were the majority of the shrinking cities. Read on to discover the fastest growing and shrinking cities in the United States.
Fastest Growing Small Cities in the United States
1. Herriman, UT
Located in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, Herriman is a fast-growing suburb of Salt Lake City. The city was only incorporated in 1999, and from 2014 through 2019, the city grew from 28,461 residents up to a population of 51,348 in 2019, which is a compounded annual growth rate of 12.5%, which made it the fastest-growing small city in the nation.
2. Leander, TX
Leander is a small city that is a suburb just west of Round Rock in the Austin metropolitan area in Texas. The city has experienced rapid growth in the past five years, with its population growing from 35,280 residents to 62,608 residents from 2014 to 2019. New residents are attracted to Leander’s quality schools and outdoor recreational activities. This annual growth rate of 12.2% makes Leander the second fastest-growing small city in the country.
3. Queen Creek, AZ
In the southeast corner of the Phoenix metropolitan area is Queen Creek, Arizona. The city, which was incorporated in 1989, features the American Heritage Festival, which celebrates American history. The city has grown from 33,011 residents in 2014 to 50,890 residents in 2019, for an annualized growth rate of 9%.
4. Little Elm, TX
A northern suburb of Dallas, Little Elm is perched on the eastern shores of Lewisville Lake. The city features numerous parks and more miles of shoreline than any other city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The population of Little Elm grew from 35,493 in 2014 up to a population of 53,126 in 2019, for an annualized growth rate of 8.4%.
5. New Braunfels, TX
Just northeast of San Antonio, New Braunfels is a rapidly growing suburb in the San Antonio metro area. The city has a long history, having been settled by Germans in the mid-1800s, and the city continues to hold a German-style sausage festival on an annual basis. In 2014, the city’s population was 65,902, and by 2019, that population had grown to 90,209 residents, for an annual growth of 6.5%, making New Braunfels the fifth fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Below is a list of the 50 fastest-growing small cities in the United States during 2014-2019. Texas led the way with 11 of the top 50 fastest growing small cities, and the rest of the list was dominated by the western states of California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Washington, with Florida also having six cities on the list. Overall, the list was evenly distributed with 24 of the top 50 being from southern states and another 24 from western states. No northeastern cities made the list of the top 50, and only two midwestern cities made the top 50. Most of the fastest-growing small cities were suburbs or exurbs of major metropolitan areas.
| Rank | City | State | Population (2014) | Population (2019) | Growth Rate 2014-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herriman | UT | 28,461 | 51,348 | 12.5% |
| 2 | Leander | TX | 35,280 | 62,608 | 12.2% |
| 3 | Queen Creek | AZ | 33,011 | 50,890 | 9.0% |
| 4 | Little Elm | TX | 35,493 | 53,126 | 8.4% |
| 5 | New Braunfels | TX | 65,902 | 90,209 | 6.5% |
| 6 | Georgetown | TX | 58,974 | 79,604 | 6.2% |
| 7 | Buckeye | AZ | 59,100 | 79,620 | 6.1% |
| 8 | Apex | NC | 44,064 | 59,300 | 6.1% |
| 9 | Bentonville | AR | 42,001 | 54,909 | 5.5% |
| 10 | Ankeny | IA | 53,299 | 67,355 | 4.8% |
| 11 | Castle Rock | CO | 55,154 | 68,484 | 4.4% |
| 12 | Fort Myers | FL | 70,449 | 87,103 | 4.3% |
| 13 | Conroe | TX | 73,779 | 91,079 | 4.3% |
| 14 | South Jordan | UT | 62,446 | 76,598 | 4.2% |
| 15 | Doral | FL | 53,643 | 65,741 | 4.2% |
| 16 | St. Cloud | FL | 44,605 | 54,579 | 4.1% |
| 17 | Lehi | UT | 57,000 | 69,724 | 4.1% |
| 18 | Beaumont | CA | 41,994 | 51,063 | 4.0% |
| 19 | Redmond | WA | 59,416 | 71,929 | 3.9% |
| 20 | Bonita Springs | FL | 49,367 | 59,637 | 3.9% |
| 21 | Goodyear | AZ | 72,346 | 86,840 | 3.7% |
| 22 | Pflugerville | TX | 54,714 | 65,380 | 3.6% |
| 23 | Dublin | CA | 54,554 | 64,826 | 3.5% |
| 24 | Cedar Park | TX | 67,161 | 79,462 | 3.4% |
| 25 | Franklin | TN | 70,620 | 83,097 | 3.3% |
| 26 | Mount Pleasant | SC | 77,937 | 91,684 | 3.3% |
| 27 | North Port | FL | 60,323 | 70,724 | 3.2% |
| 28 | Commerce City | CO | 51,468 | 60,336 | 3.2% |
| 29 | Caldwell | ID | 50,122 | 58,481 | 3.1% |
| 30 | Parker | CO | 49,508 | 57,706 | 3.1% |
| 31 | Lacey | WA | 45,271 | 52,592 | 3.0% |
| 32 | Mansfield | TX | 62,605 | 72,419 | 3.0% |
| 33 | Lake Elsinore | CA | 60,111 | 69,283 | 2.9% |
| 34 | Rowlett | TX | 58,471 | 67,339 | 2.9% |
| 35 | St. George | UT | 77,942 | 89,587 | 2.8% |
| 36 | Greenville | SC | 61,505 | 70,635 | 2.8% |
| 37 | Rocklin | CA | 60,060 | 68,823 | 2.8% |
| 38 | Milpitas | CA | 73,560 | 84,196 | 2.7% |
| 39 | Maricopa | AZ | 45,543 | 52,127 | 2.7% |
| 40 | Wylie | TX | 46,439 | 53,067 | 2.7% |
| 41 | Casa Grande | AZ | 51,362 | 58,632 | 2.7% |
| 42 | Broomfield | CO | 61,764 | 70,465 | 2.7% |
| 43 | Flower Mound | TX | 69,525 | 79,135 | 2.6% |
| 44 | Bradenton | FL | 52,253 | 59,439 | 2.6% |
| 45 | Manteca | CA | 73,157 | 83,028 | 2.6% |
| 46 | Brentwood | CA | 56,854 | 64,474 | 2.5% |
| 47 | West Lafayette | IN | 44,975 | 50,996 | 2.5% |
| 48 | Nampa | ID | 87,894 | 99,277 | 2.5% |
| 49 | Concord | NC | 85,395 | 96,341 | 2.4% |
| 50 | Smyrna | TN | 45,731 | 51,586 | 2.4% |
Fastest Shrinking Small Cities in the United States
The table below shows the 50 small cities in the United States that are shrinking the fastest from 2014-2019. Illinois led the way with 13 cities in the top 50, and California followed with 10 cities in the top 50. Additionally, 29 of the top 50 shrinking cities were located in the Midwest. Although many of the shrinking cities were places in economic decline, the list also notably included a number of prosperous cities. Some of the wealthiest small cities in the country made the list, including Palo Alto and Newport Beach in California. In these cities, despite booming economies, a lack of new housing and poor housing affordability contributed to shrinking populations.
| Rank | City | State | Population (2014) | Population (2019) | Growth Rate 2014-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston | WV | 50,133 | 46,536 | -1.5% |
| 2 | Albany | GA | 75,940 | 72,130 | -1.0% |
| 3 | Decatur | IL | 74,155 | 70,746 | -0.9% |
| 4 | Cicero | IL | 84,397 | 80,796 | -0.9% |
| 5 | Erie | PA | 99,714 | 95,508 | -0.9% |
| 6 | Berwyn | IL | 56,777 | 54,391 | -0.9% |
| 7 | Gary | IN | 77,985 | 74,879 | -0.8% |
| 8 | Hammond | IN | 78,586 | 75,522 | -0.8% |
| 9 | Skokie | IL | 65,223 | 62,700 | -0.8% |
| 10 | Lawton | OK | 96,660 | 93,025 | -0.8% |
| 11 | Mount Prospect | IL | 55,770 | 53,719 | -0.7% |
| 12 | Oak Lawn | IL | 57,106 | 55,022 | -0.7% |
| 13 | Rocky Mount | NC | 55,880 | 53,922 | -0.7% |
| 14 | Saginaw | MI | 49,798 | 48,115 | -0.7% |
| 15 | Evanston | IL | 75,994 | 73,473 | -0.7% |
| 16 | Flint | MI | 98,617 | 95,538 | -0.6% |
| 17 | Waukegan | IL | 88,791 | 86,075 | -0.6% |
| 18 | Canton | OH | 72,634 | 70,447 | -0.6% |
| 19 | Casper | WY | 59,673 | 57,931 | -0.6% |
| 20 | Palatine | IL | 69,427 | 67,482 | -0.6% |
| 21 | Camden | NJ | 75,673 | 73,562 | -0.6% |
| 22 | Enid | OK | 51,113 | 49,688 | -0.6% |
| 23 | Niagara Falls | NY | 49,083 | 47,720 | -0.6% |
| 24 | Tinley Park | IL | 57,364 | 55,773 | -0.6% |
| 25 | Lakewood | OH | 51,088 | 49,678 | -0.6% |
| 26 | St. Joseph | MO | 76,994 | 74,875 | -0.6% |
| 27 | Hoffman Estates | IL | 52,342 | 50,932 | -0.5% |
| 28 | Schaumburg | IL | 74,903 | 72,887 | -0.5% |
| 29 | Parma | OH | 80,166 | 78,103 | -0.5% |
| 30 | Pico Rivera | CA | 63,637 | 62,027 | -0.5% |
| 31 | Utica | NY | 61,289 | 59,750 | -0.5% |
| 32 | Newport Beach | CA | 86,688 | 84,534 | -0.5% |
| 33 | Jacksonville | NC | 74,217 | 72,436 | -0.5% |
| 34 | Vineland | NJ | 60,887 | 59,439 | -0.5% |
| 35 | Huntington Park | CA | 58,908 | 57,509 | -0.5% |
| 36 | Florissant | MO | 52,172 | 50,952 | -0.5% |
| 37 | Mission Viejo | CA | 96,622 | 94,381 | -0.5% |
| 38 | Fountain Valley | CA | 56,671 | 55,357 | -0.5% |
| 39 | Muncie | IN | 69,606 | 67,999 | -0.5% |
| 40 | Palo Alto | CA | 66,848 | 65,364 | -0.4% |
| 41 | Dearborn Heights | MI | 56,596 | 55,353 | -0.4% |
| 42 | Cupertino | CA | 60,592 | 59,276 | -0.4% |
| 43 | Montebello | CA | 63,322 | 61,954 | -0.4% |
| 44 | Dearborn | MI | 95,973 | 93,932 | -0.4% |
| 45 | Compton | CA | 97,634 | 95,605 | -0.4% |
| 46 | Chicopee | MA | 56,274 | 55,126 | -0.4% |
| 47 | Lakewood | CA | 80,927 | 79,307 | -0.4% |
| 48 | Bloomington | IL | 78,901 | 77,330 | -0.4% |
| 49 | Waterloo | IA | 68,676 | 67,328 | -0.4% |
| 50 | Manhattan | KS | 55,685 | 54,604 | -0.4% |
Methodology
This study measured the compounded annual growth rate of the population for cities in the United States from the period between 2014 through 2019 based upon population estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Cities considered in this analysis had a minimum population of 50,000 at some point during the period 2010-2019 and had a maximum population of 100,000 residents in 2019.
After calculating the compounded annual growth rate of the population for each city, we ranked the cities based upon their growth rates and found the top 50 cities that were growing the most quickly and the 50 cities that are shrinking the fastest.
Sources
1. U.S. Census Bureau, City and Town Population Totals: 2010-2019