Have you ever wondered what Georgetown, Texas, is like in the spring? Or have you enjoyed one of Lehi, Utah’s, striking mountain sunsets? Likely, the answer is no — but maybe you should! These towns are two of the fastest-growing places in the U.S., welcoming more new residents than any other cities from July 2021 to July 2022. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau has identified the 15 fastest-growing American cities (with populations of 50,000 or more), nine of which are located in the South (six in Texas alone). Here are five of the most exciting up-and-coming cities on the list.
Georgetown, Texas
The charming Texas city of Georgetown is located about half an hour north of Austin. It was the fastest-growing city between 2021 and 2022, with a 14.4% population increase and over 86,000 current residents. Visitors can wander Georgetown Town Square, touted as “The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas,” and experience the Red Poppy Festival every spring and the annual Christmas Stroll, a holiday festival and parade. Shops, restaurants, and bars line the bustling downtown streets, with the historic Georgetown Palace Theatre nearby.
Once you've finished browsing book stores and antique shops downtown, head to Lake Georgetown, where watersports, hiking, and camping are plentiful. For the adventurous, Inner Space Cavern is one of the most well-preserved caves in Texas and is popular for exploration tours. Georgetown might be recognizable to cinema fans; it’s a popular filming location and was featured in “Friday Night Lights,” “Varsity Blues,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Santa Cruz, California
Often overshadowed by its Bay Area neighbors to the north (like San Francisco and San Jose), the smaller city of Santa Cruz has a population of around 61,000, and is the second-fastest growing city in the U.S., with a population increase of 12.5% between 2021 and 2022.
If you’re looking for a quintessential California beach town, your search is over. Santa Cruz is home to sun, sand, and surf, all packaged into a colorful town by the sea. It’s known for its wharf, lined with beach shops, restaurants, and views of resident sea lions. The nearby Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a seaside amusement park that opened back in 1907 and is home to a vintage wooden roller coaster. Santa Cruz — nicknamed “Surf City” — has been a staple of the surfing community for decades, and surfing pioneer (and inventor of the wetsuit) Jack O’Neill once called the town home. Dotted with colorful houses, Capitola Beach is one of the best places to watch the sunset while surfers ride the waves in the distance.
Heading to inland Santa Cruz, the Roaring Camp steam train takes guests through the mountains among forests of towering redwoods. The region is also home to a booming wine region, and the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation is home to over 70 boutique wineries. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, there is plenty of opportunity to see all of Santa Cruz’s amazing sites.
North Port, Florida
Located between Tampa and Fort Myers near the white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast, North Port is home to 85,000 people. It’s the fastest-growing city in Florida (and eighth fastest-growing city in the U.S.), with a 6.6% population increase in 2022. Adding to its accolades, North Port is the only city in the state with a state forest — the 8,000-acre Myakka State Forest— within its city limits. Also located in North Port is Warm Mineral Springs, the sole naturally occurring warm mineral spring in Florida. It boasts a year-round temperature of 85 degrees and has one of the highest mineral contents of any natural spring in the world.
North Port is home to many other outdoor activities, with 80 miles of freshwater canals for swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding, and miles of inland trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking. Just to the east is the Peace River, one of the top fossil-hunting regions in Florida, known for its abundance of fossilized shark teeth, including ancient megalodon teeth. An outdoor adventurer’s paradise, North Port also boasts golf courses, fishing charters, and boat rentals.
Lehi, Utah
Lehi has recently made a name for itself as the central point of the Silicon Slopes, an up-and-coming region in the tech industry. Due to this rapid economic growth, Lehi was the 14th fastest-growing city in the U.S. last year, with a 5.6% population increase, amounting to around 84,000 residents. The town is located just south of Salt Lake City on the shore of Utah Lake.
Aside from its burgeoning tech and real estate scenes, Lehi is also home to plenty of family-friendly entertainment, like Thanksgiving Point, a nonprofit complex boasting museums, the 55-acre Ashton Gardens, a farm, a butterfly habitat, eateries, and shops. The complex is also home to one of the world’s largest dinosaur museums, the Museum of Ancient Life, which receives over two million visitors each year. The nearby Alpine Loop Scenic Byway provides easy access to 17 miles of hiking trails on Mount Timpanogos, a 11,750-foot peak in the Wasatch Range. The mountain is also home to the Sundance Mountain Resort for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports.
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford, Massachusetts, is the only New England town on the list and was the 15th fastest-growing city in the U.S. in 2022. This Boston suburb saw a population increase of 5.2% last year and is now home to over 65,000 residents. It’s located three miles north of downtown Boston on the Mystic River and boasts plenty of its own attractions.
This historic town was incorporated in 1882 and became a key manufacturing city for brick, tile, and rum. Today, it is home to some quirky (and lesser-known) tourist attractions. For a truly unique dining experience, head to the Italian restaurant Salvatore’s Medford Square, which is now named “Vault” after its famous attribute: a bank vault that was involved in a famous 1980’s bank robbery. Their private dining room is located inside the vault, where diners can still view the hole in the corner of the ceiling where the robbers entered the scene. Medford has many other historical sites to visit, from aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart’s residence at 76 Brooks Street, to the home of “Jingle Bells” songwriter James Pierpoint. Simpson Tavern, the site where Pierpoint wrote the famous carol in 1850, is also marked, although it's no longer a restaurant. For the history lover, or those who have “seen it all,” Medford is a surprising treat.
