The 15 Fastest-Growing Cities in the US

A snapshot of the last decade shows a number of cities in the South and Midwest have experienced substantial growth.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 7:47am

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This story highlights the 15 metro areas that experienced the largest percentage change in household growth from 2014 to 2024, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. The list is dominated by cities in the South and Midwest, with Austin, Texas ranking in the top 10 and seeing its household growth rate more than triple the national average over that period.

Why it matters

The reallocation of America's population has driven high housing demand across multiple markets, and household growth is a key indicator of housing demand that economists use to measure the pressure on local markets. Understanding which cities are experiencing the fastest growth can provide insights into broader economic and demographic trends shaping the country.

The details

Austin ranked in the top 10 fastest-growing cities, with its household growth rate of nearly 51% more than triple the national rate of 13% over the 2014-2024 period. The city saw its number of occupied housing units increase from just over 700,000 to more than 1 million. While Austin became a hotbed for movers, especially from California, the influx has slowed from its early-2020s peak but the city is still expanding about two and a half times faster than the US overall. Utah had two entries in the top 10, driven by a high concentration of millennials living there.

  • From 2014 to 2024, the time period analyzed in this report.
  • Austin's household growth rate peaked in the early 2020s but has since slowed.

The players

Nadia Evangelou

A senior economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR) who provided analysis on the household growth data.

Austin, Texas

A fast-growing city that saw its number of occupied housing units increase from just over 700,000 to more than 1 million between 2014 and 2024, with a household growth rate nearly triple the national average.

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What they’re saying

“Household growth is one of the most direct indicators of housing demand. When you add 357,000 households in 10 years, that's about 357,000 additional housing units that needed to be absorbed by the market, whether it's rental or ownership. That's real demand because these households need a shelter.”

— Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist, National Association of Realtors

“Even now, what we see is that Austin is still expanding about two and a half times faster than the US overall. That tells us that this isn't a short-term boom, it's sustained economic momentum, it's strong job growth, business expansion, and long-term opportunity all working together in this area.”

— Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist, National Association of Realtors

The takeaway

The rapid household growth in cities like Austin and others in the South and Midwest highlights the ongoing demographic shifts and economic forces shaping the country, with implications for housing demand, affordability, and urban development in the years ahead.