Searching for warmer temperatures, fewer crowds, and an escape from big-city home prices? You’re not alone. Americans are increasingly choosing small, southern cities over large metropolitan areas.
In new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the fastest-growing cities in America from July 2023 to July 2024 all had populations below 100,000. As Americans move out of the city and into the suburbs, home prices are shifting. Some of the fastest-growing cities in America remain attractive for their affordability, while others are seeing home prices spike following population booms.
Zoocasa analyzed year-over-year home prices, sales, and population growth in the fastest-growing American cities to understand how migration trends are shaping the real estate market. Whether you’re an investor looking to get ahead of the curve or a buyer searching for a trendy new city to call home, purchasing in these rising markets before they become too popular (and competitive) could be a smart move toward building equity.
Key Takeaways on Where Growth Is Driving Real Estate Trends:
- Suburban communities in Texas dominate the list of fastest-growing cities in America, but not all are seeing equal growth in home sales and prices. Hutto and Princeton are experiencing the largest year-over-year jumps in sales, even as median home prices decline, while New Braunfels and Round Rock are seeing the steepest declines in sales.
- Garner, NC; Leland, NC; Fulshear, TX; Celina, TX, and others are experiencing the trifecta of population growth, rising home prices, and increasing home sales.
- Although many cities in Florida are attracting new residents, sales are slowing in some areas, which is keeping home price growth moderate.
- Suburbs of Phoenix are expanding rapidly, while prices are correcting—potentially attracting even more newcomers.
- The only cities outside the Sun Belt seeing notable population growth are Meridian, Idaho; Rosemount, Minnesota; and Erie, Colorado.
More Space and More Sun: The Texan Suburbs Everyone’s Flocking To
All of the fastest-growing American cities (and towns) are in the Sun Belt, with the exception of Rosemount, Minnesota, and Erie, Colorado.
Sunshine-seeking movers were particularly drawn to the suburbs of Dallas, a city with 1.3 million residents. Thirty-three percent of the cities and towns with the fastest-growing populations are located within an hour’s drive of Dallas, including Princeton, Celina, Anna, Fate, and Melissa.
With borrowing costs elevated and home prices rising, homebuyers across the country are forced to look beyond city limits for an affordable home. From 2024 to 2025, the median single-family home price in Dallas increased from $499,000 to $550,000 — a jump of 14.8%. Meanwhile, Princeton, Anna, and Melissa all have median home prices far below Dallas and have experienced notable year-over-year home price declines of over 7%.
Still, as these small cities see their populations grow, so can home prices and competitiveness. Celina, TX, is a prime example of this. Celina’s population increased by 18.2% from 2023 to 2024, the fourth-fastest growth rate in the country, while its home price increased by a whopping 28.1%, rising from $440,000 to $563,495. This sudden growth is transforming the once rural town of 7,000 people into a bustling community of over 50,000, now home to a Starbucks, a McDonald’s, and soon a Walmart.
- Read: Can You Afford to Live Where You Vacation? Here’s What It Costs in America’s Most Popular Spots
Fate, Texas, and Garner, North Carolina, also experienced double-digit home price growth in a single year, with increases of 10.5% and 14.3%, respectively. Garner, located just six miles south of Raleigh, offers a more affordable alternative to the capital, with a median single-family home price of $420,000 — over $100,000 less than Raleigh’s $554,548.
But how long can Garner remain affordable amid rapid population growth? Like many fast-growing American suburbs, Garner’s real estate market is heating up. According to the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors, Garner’s total home sales (single-family, townhomes, and condos) are up 105.7% from June 2024, compared to the city of Raleigh, where sales are down 2.5% from last year. If this pace continues, Garner’s median home price could soon catch up to Raleigh’s.
Among the 15 fastest-growing areas, ten have experienced year-over-year increases in home sales. Fate, TX (28 miles out of Dallas), and Hutto, TX (28 miles from Austin) stand out with sales surging more than 50%, highlighting strong demand from home buyers. If you’re hoping to get your foot in the door in one of these booming communities, you’ll need to act fast before prices catch up with demand.
Mid-Sized and Booming: Cities Growing Fast With Populations Between 100K–200K
After years of high competition following the pandemic, housing demand in Phoenix is finally cooling, but its suburbs are still growing.
Goodyear and Surprise, both Phoenix suburbs, rank first and second as the fastest-growing cities in the 100K-200K population category. Following population growth of over 5% in 2024, home sales increased in 2025 by 32.5% in Goodyear and 15.2% in Surprise.
A recent survey from moveBuddha, a tech company that helps consumers compare moving service prices, found that 1 in 3 Americans want to live in the suburbs, with 87% citing lower living costs and housing affordability as key motivators for moving. With median home prices still lower than Phoenix, it’s no surprise that Goodyear and Surprise are attracting new residents. Even more appealing for home buyers is that both cities saw their median single-family home prices decline by 3.5% from 2024 to 2025.
Meanwhile, Buckeye, another Phoenix suburb experiencing rapid population growth, isn’t seeing prices cool just yet. Home sales rose by 6.7% from 2024 to 2025, while the median single-family home price edged up by 0.7%, increasing from $404,008 in June 2024 to $406,990 in June 2025.
Seven Texas cities made the list of fastest-growing cities in the 100,000 to 200,000 population range, with Conroe leading among them at 5.2% growth. But it’s Denton and Midland that truly stand out, experiencing the trifecta of population growth, rising home prices, and surging sales. In 2024, Denton’s population grew by 4.3%, its median single-family home price rose by 2.4% to $415,000, and total home sales jumped 33.3%.
Midland followed closely, with a 3% population increase, a 3.8% rise in home prices, and a 12.8% jump in sales. Meridian, Idaho, was the only other mid-sized city to see growth across all three metrics. While this trifecta can create affordability challenges for buyers, it typically signals a strong local economy with long-term potential.
Population and Housing Trends in Mid-to-Large Cities (200K–1M)
A 2023 Pew Research survey revealed that 57% of Americans prefer larger homes with more space, even if that means being further from shops and restaurants. This sentiment may explain why the most dramatic population increases were often in smaller or suburban cities, particularly those with populations under 100,000.
In contrast, population growth in cities with populations between 200,000 and 1 million has remained steady, though not as rapid as in many smaller communities. Most of the fastest-growing cities in this category are in the Sun Belt, but there are a few exceptions.
Salt Lake City’s population increased by 2.8%, Newark’s rose by 2.6%, and both Seattle and Washington, D.C. were up by 2.2%. However, these increases appear more modest when compared to places like McKinney, TX, and Port St. Lucie, FL, which saw population growth of 5.4% and 4.8% respectively.
Still, larger cities continue to attract demand due to job opportunities and economic infrastructure. Year-over-year home sales growth was the greatest in Hialeah, FL, at 18%, and Charlotte, NC, at 11.4%. Hialeah also experienced notable home price growth from 2024 to 2025, increasing by 5% to $577,000. That remains more accessible than nearby Miami, where the median single-family home price stands at $778,000.
The Largest Cities in America Are Growing Slowly
There are only 11 cities in America with populations exceeding 1 million, accounting for more than 26 million people in total. While many have gained thousands of new residents from 2023 to 2024, their population growth rate is significantly lower than that of smaller suburbs.
Among the cities with more than 1 million residents, Fort Worth’s population expanded the most, rising by 2.4% from 2023 to 2024. Despite this, both home sales and prices have dropped in the city. Fort Worth’s median single-family home price decreased by 1.2% to $340,000 in June 2025, while home sales dipped by 4.5%. Home buyers priced out of Dallas may find that now is a good time to score a deal in neighboring Fort Worth.
After all, the real estate market in Dallas is getting more competitive. The city has seen its population increase by 0.7%, while the median home price rose by 14.8% and sales increased by 12.9%. The only other large cities seeing growth across population, home prices, and sales are Houston and Los Angeles.
Which Cities Are Americans Leaving?
Population decline mostly affected small cities with populations under 50,000, but there were some outliers. Notably, Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, saw its population drop by 1.4%, and St. Louis, a city of 279,000, also saw a decline of 1.1%.
Most Americans are leaving cities in the Southern United States (Mississippi, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Missouri). Mississippi, in particular, has three cities (Greenville, Jackson, Oxford) on the list.
The West Coast is not immune to population decline, with many Californians also leaving.
Eureka, CA, Newark, CA, Twentynine Palms, CA, all experienced a -1.1% population change, the same St. Louis, MO.
Additionally, Boone, NC, and West Memphis, AK, both saw a -1.3% decline.
According to United Van Lines’ National Movers Study, the primary reason residents are leaving Mississippi is because of work. In California, movers cited family, work, and retirement as the biggest reasons for moving out of state.
The study also shows that the top outbound states for 2024 were New Jersey, Illinois, New York, and California. And where are Americans moving to? The report also found that West Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia topped the list of inbound states.
Bottom Line: Does Population Growth Fuel Home Price Increases?
Yes and no. The relationship between population growth and rising home prices largely depends on the existing housing inventory. If construction can keep pace with a growing community, then home prices are less likely to spike.
However, in cities where inventory is already limited, rapid population growth can intensify competition for available homes, causing prices to increase.
Ultimately, population growth alone doesn’t guarantee a housing boom. But in the right conditions, it can be a driver of demand. For buyers, acting early in the fastest-growing cities in America may offer a valuable opportunity to build equity before the rest of the market catches up. For sellers in rapidly growing suburbs or mid-sized cities, now may be a strategic time to list. With buyers actively seeking space and affordability in emerging markets, those who move early could benefit from peak demand.
Thinking of buying or selling in one of these rising markets? Start browsing homes today on Zoocasa.
