America's fastest-growing cities might surprise you.
They aren't sprawling metropolises that attract hordes of tourists, such as New York or San Francisco. Instead, they're smaller, lesser-known towns, primarily scattered across the South.
Business Insider compiled a list of the 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in America, each with a population of over 20,000, based on the most recent migration data from the US Census Bureau. The data tracks growth between July 2022 and July 2023.
Most of the cities on the list are located south of the Mason-Dixon line. Texas stands out, with roughly half of the cities on the list located within the state.
In recent years, hundreds of thousands of people have moved to Texas for its affordable homes, political climate, and plentiful job opportunities. While cities like Austin and Dallas have traditionally attracted more movers, census estimates from 2020 to mid-2022 show that smaller towns like Celina — ranked No. 1 on our list — are now growing faster than their larger counterparts.
Celina, about 40 miles north of downtown Dallas, is the country's fastest-growing city. Its relatively affordable homes and small-town charm have attracted thousands of new homebuyers and renters over the past decade.
California native Michelle Clifford, a 33-year-old sales manager and mother of two, told BI that she and her husband chose to move to Celina rather than a larger city like Dallas because it made buying a home more realistic.
In July, the couple became first-time homeowners by purchasing a 2,400-square-foot home for about $600,000.
"We absolutely could not afford a home similar to ours in a Dallas neighborhood or back in California," Clifford said. "I've been renting or moving almost every year since I was 18. To finally have something that's mine is the most amazing feeling."
Here are the 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in America.