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Maybe it’s a hatred of cold weather, a love of chicken and waffles or even the fact that the south is teaming with jobs in both tech and entertainment, but when it comes to the fastest-growing US cities, southern cities are booming. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its list of The Top 15 Fastest Growing Cities in America, and 10 of those locations found themselves south of the Mason-Dixon line.
According to Amel Toukabri, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s population division, this is part of a growing trend. “Overall, cities in the South continue to grow at a faster rate than any other U.S region. Since the 2010 Census, the population in large southern cities grew by an average of 9.4 percent. In comparison, cities in the West grew 7.3 percent, while cities in the Northeast and Midwest had much lower growth rates at 1.8 percent and 3.0 percent respectively.”
So where are these cities where the population is growing like crazy? Here’s the Census Bureau’s top 15:
The 15 Fastest-Growing Large Cities in America
| Rank | City | Metro Area | Percent Increase | 2016 Total Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conroe, TX | Houston, TX | 7.8% | 82,286 |
| 2 | Frisco, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 6.2% | 163,656 |
| 3 | McKinney, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 5.9% | 172,298 |
| 4 | Greenville, SC | Greenville, SC | 5.8% | 67,453 |
| 5 | Georgetown, TX | Austin, TX | 5.5% | 67,140 |
| 6 | Bend, OR | Redmond, OR | 4.9% | 91,122 |
| 7 | Buckeye, AZ | Phoenix-Scottsdale, AZ | 4.8% | 64,629 |
| 8 | Bonita Springs, FL | Fort Myers, FL | 4.8% | 54,198 |
| 9 | New Braunfels, TX | San Antonio, TX | 4.7% | 73,959 |
| 10 | Murfreesboro, TN | Nashville, TN | 4.7% | 131,947 |
| 11 | Lehi, UT | Provo, UT | 4.6% | 61,130 |
| 12 | Cedar Park, TX | Austin, TX | 4.5% | 68,918 |
| 13 | Meridian, ID | Boise, ID | 4.5% | 58,627 |
| 14 | Ankeny, IA | Des Moines, IA | 4.5% | 58,627 |
| 15 | Fort Myers, FL | Fort Myers, FL | 4.5% | 77,146 |
Calculated between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016 (Populations of 50,000 or more in 2015). For methodology, please click here.
Are you currently living in one of America’s fastest-growing cities? Would you move to one of these cities for better apartments or job opportunities? Get discussing below on social!