Fastest-Growing Towns in Rural America
For a lot of Americans, city life is just not for them. Sure, it’s nice to have so many amenities and options for food and entertainment, but you can get that from a visit. Meanwhile, living in a city is usually an expensive, crowded experience that isn’t worth it for the sort of people who enjoy living in a much smaller community. Fortunately for them, America’s landscape is essentially a pointillist painting made up of thousands of small towns — each offering its own unique charm.
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Seeing as there must be something attracting people to these areas, GOBankingRates set out to determine which rural towns have experienced the most growth in population recently. Starting with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s definition for a rural town — 500 to 50,000 people and not in a major urban area — the study took the total increase and percentage increase in population over five years, scored the towns based on those numbers and then combined the scores to balance the towns with the largest overall increase and the town with the largest proportional gain. The end result is a list of small towns in America that are clearly attracting a lot of new residents.
Last updated: Feb. 25, 2021
Metolius, Oregon
2012-17 average population: 1,003
Total population increase between 2012-17: 391
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 51.99%
2017 per capita income: $15,636
Located just east of The Cove Palisades State Park, Metolius is the fastest-growing rural town in Oregon.
Pictured: Metolius River
Napoleonville, Louisiana
2012-17 average population: 620
Total population increase between 2012-17: 294
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 64.05%
2017 per capita income: $13,952
South of Baton Rouge near Lake Verret, Napoleonville is growing at a fast pace. One just hopes that living in such a small town doesn’t give residents a Napoleonville Complex.
Roosevelt, Utah
2012-17 average population: 6,457
Total population increase between 2012-17: 743
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 12.33%
2017 per capita income: $23,433
Roosevelt, Utah, added 743 new residents from 2012 to 2015. That’s a 12.33% jump for this town located south of Ashley National Forest on the edge of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
Pictured: Roosevelt Memorial Park
Stanley, North Dakota
2012-17 average population: 2,096
Total population increase between 2012-17: 589
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 31,03%
2017 per capita income: $36,494
Stanley, North Dakota, lies between the Canadian Border and the Missouri River near the northernmost portion of the famed river.
Basin, Wyoming
2012-17 average population: 1,321
Total population increase between 2012-17: 480
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 43.88%
2017 per capita income: $20,697
Situated along the Bighorn River and between Yellowstone National Park and Bighorn National Forest, Basin is the only Wyoming town to make the list.
Pictured: Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park
Chisolm, Maine
2012-17 average population: 1,196
Total population increase between 2012-17: 463
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 46.07%
2017 per capita income: $26,550
Chisolm lies within the town of Jay, which is about an hour-and-a-half drive from Portland, Maine.
New Town, North Dakota
2012-17 average population: 2,209
Total population increase between 2012-17: 604
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 32.56%
2017 per capita income: $26,474
New Town is located on the Missouri River and south of another fast-growing rural town, Stanley. It was founded by a group of settlers who were clearly not very creative with names.
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Ephraim, Utah
2012-17 average population: 6,467
Total population increase between 2012-17: 773
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 12.7%
2017 per capita income: $15,900
Next to the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Ephraim, Utah, is home to Snow College — a local community college.
Copenhagen, New York
2012-17 average population: 644
Total population increase between 2012-17: 320
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 66.25%
2017 per capita income: $26,883
No, not that Copenhagen. This one would be an Upstate New York town sitting just east of Lake Ontario and northeast of a cluster of nature areas that include the Pickney, Lookout and Tug Hill State Forests. So, much smaller in size and probably a lot fewer options for good Danish food than its better-known namesake.
Quincy, California
2012-17 average population: 1,555
Total population increase between 2012-17: 551
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 39.78%
2017 per capita income: $24,417
Northwest of Sacramento, Quincy is completely surrounded by the Plumas National Forest.
Lake Madison, South Dakota
2012-17 average population: 767
Total population increase between 2012-17: 344
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 65.03%
2017 per capita income: $48,167
The 344 new citizens of Lake Madison over the last half-decade represents a nearly two-thirds increase in the town’s population. The city is located just outside of Sioux Falls to the southeast.
Mansura, Louisiana
2012-17 average population: 1,599
Total population increase between 2012-17: 543
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 42.62%
2017 per capita income: $14,160
Mansura, Louisiana, is about an hour-and-a-half drive northwest from Baton Rouge, with the Paragon Casino Resort just to the north.
Ocean Park, Washington
2012-17 average population: 1,398
Total population increase between 2012-17: 545
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 44.06%
2017 per capita income: $21,048
On the long thin peninsula that makes up the western side of Willapa Bay, Ocean Park is just to the south of Leadbetter Point State Park.
Preston, Maryland
2012-17 average population: 864
Total population increase between 2012-17: 395
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 62.6%
2017 per capita income: $26,857
Preston is located near the Choptank River close to the Maryland-Delaware border, and it’s certainly on the rise with a 62.6% jump in its population over the last five years.
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Ellijay, Georgia
2012-17 average population: 1,968
Total population increase between 2012-17: 642
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 33.79%
2017 per capita income: $16,134
Seated on the edge of Chattahoochee National Forest, Ellijay, Georgia, added nearly 650 new residents from 2012 to 2017.
Finzel, Maryland
2012-17 average population: 601
Total population increase between 2012-17: 317
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 72.21%
2017 per capita income: $21,657
Just off Interstate 68, you’ll find Finzel right on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Decherd, Tennessee
2012-17 average population: 2,649
Total population increase between 2012-17: 700
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 29.5%
2017 per capita income: $19,005
Decherd is just to the east of Lynchburg, Tennessee — famously home to the legendary Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
Cave City, Arkansas
2012-17 average population: 2,248
Total population increase between 2012-17: 663
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 33.97%
2017 per capita income: $16,211
Situated near the northern border of Arkansas, Cave City is fast-growing and about a two-hour drive from Memphis, Tennessee.
Welch, West Virginia
2012-17 average population: 2,916
Total population increase between 2012-17: 712
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 28.42%
2017 per capita income: $12,886
West of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Welch got 712 new residents over a five-year period — good for a 28.42% jump.
Stockport, Ohio
2012-17 average population: 546
Total population increase between 2012-17: 340
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 74.56%
2017 per capita income: $15,850
Sitting on the winding Muskingum River, Stockport added only 340 new residents from 2012 to 2017 — but that still translated to a nearly 75% increase in its population.
Hamilton City, California
2012-17 average population: 1,917
Total population increase between 2012-17: 651
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 38.16%
2017 per capita income: $13,917
Situated snugly between the Sacramento River and the Glenn-Colusa Canal, Hamilton City is a reasonable drive from the nearby Mendocino National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Redwater, Mississippi
2012-17 average population: 603
Total population increase between 2012-17: 330
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 76.39%
2017 per capita income: $14,722
Redwater is well-situated for anyone looking for plenty to do within a short drive. Jackson is a little over an hour to the southwest. The Bienville National Forest is about an hour to the south, and you should also be able to reach the Tombigbee National Forest to the north in around an hour as well.
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Oak Hill, Michigan
2012-17 average population: 638
Total population increase between 2012-17: 342
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 77.03%
2017 per capita income: $19,882
Located on Michigan’s Gold Coast, Oak Hill is on Manistee Lake just outside the town of Manistee — which also puts it right near Lake Michigan. Residents can enjoy a casual drive along the lake and through the gorgeous wilderness of Northern Michigan on their way to resort towns like Traverse City, Charlevoix and Mackinac Island.
Pictured: Manistee North Pierhead Lighthouse
Porcupine, South Dakota
2012-17 average population: 1,253
Total population increase between 2012-17: 532
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 56%
2017 per capita income: $6,821
This town — located just south of Badlands National Park — added 532 new people from 2012 to 2017. Notably, though, the town has the second-lowest per capita income in the study at just $6,821 — something that might be a prickly subject with the locals.
Pioche, Nevada
2012-17 average population: 1,003
Total population increase between 2012-17: 486
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 61.52%
2017 per capita income: $16,166
Nevada’s not all about Las Vegas and Reno. Pioche is nearly a three-hour drive north from Sin City and sits just off Route 93.
White Mills, Pennsylvania
2012-17 average population: 715
Total population increase between 2012-17: 389
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 73.26%
2017 per capita income: $24,650
About 45 minutes east of Scranton, White Mills is home to the Dorflinger Factory Museum and Dorflinger Glass Museum — and 389 new residents who moved there between 2012 and 2017.
Crow Agency, Montana
2012-17 average population: 1,866
Total population increase between 2012-17: 651
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 44.38%
2017 per capita income: $12,325
Crow Agency is the closest town to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and sits just to the east of the Bighorn River.
Vandalia, Illinois
2012-17 average population: 6,491
Total population increase between 2012-17: 917
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 15.04%
2017 per capita income: $16,854
This would not be the Georgia burg that’s internationally famous for its onions (that’s Vidalia), but Vandalia has plenty of non-allium things going for it that could explain the recent influx of new residents. Like it’s own municipal airport, nearby Vandalia Lake and its location — just an hour’s drive to St. Louis, replete with delicious barbecue, Cardinals baseball games and the Gateway Arch.
Pablo, Montana
2012-17 average population: 2,457
Total population increase between 2012-17: 733
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 36.85%
2017 per capita income: $10,277
Kitty-corner to the Pablo National Wildlife Refuge and the Pablo Reservoir, this Montana town grew by 36.85% from 2012 to 2017.
Fraser, Colorado
2012-17 average population: 1,230
Total population increase between 2012-17: 595
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 54.44%
2017 per capita income: $25,020
The drive from Boulder to Fraser should take you a little under two hours, but a lot of that is due to the fact that you have to route around the craggy peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Dahlonega, Georgia
2012-17 average population: 5,947
Total population increase between 2012-17: 918
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 16.75%
2017 per capita income: $19,817
Sitting south of the Chattahoochee National Forest and north of Lake Lanier, Dahlonega is actually less than an hour’s drive from Ellijay — another of the fastest-growing towns featured in this study.
New Eucha, Oklahoma
2012-17 average population: 544
Total population increase between 2012-17: 309
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 89.05%
2017 per capita income: $18,666
New Eucha — seated north of Lake Eucha and west of Lake Eucha Park — appears to be a far sight better than Old Eucha, given that it boosted its population by just under 90% over the five-year period in question.
Folkston, Georgia
2012-17 average population: 4,958
Total population increase between 2012-17: 887
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 21.22%
2017 per capita income: $15,736
Folkston is inland from Cumberland Island on the Atlantic coast and east of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Folks just seem to love the place.
Pearsall, Texas
2012-17 average population: 9,586
Total population increase between 2012-17: 984
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 10.78%
2017 per capita income: $16,666
Pearsall is roughly an hour’s drive southwest of San Antonio, so residents won’t have to travel too far to enjoy the Riverwalk almost any night of the week. Perhaps that’s why nearly 1,000 people moved there during the period between 2012 and 2017.
Schurz, Nevada
2012-17 average population: 802
Total population increase between 2012-17: 450
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 75.25%
2017 per capita income: $12,735
Schurz is roughly an hour and a half southwest of Reno, and east of Carson City, Lake Tahoe and the Eldorado National Forest.
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Altha, Florida
2012-17 average population: 621
Total population increase between 2012-17: 403
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 96.64%
2017 per capita income: $13,730
This panhandle town is located southwest of Lake Seminole and northwest of the Apalachicola National Forest. The town essentially doubled in size from 2012 to 2017, adding 403 new residents during that period.
Fairfield, Oklahoma
2012-17 average population: 511
Total population increase between 2012-17: 339
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 110.78%
2017 per capita income: $15,671
Located about an hour and 45 minutes east of Tulsa, Fairfield is right on the border with Arkansas. And the town more than doubled in size during the period examined in the study, with the population spiking by 110.78%.
Pictured: Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tannersville, New York
2012-17 average population: 679
Total population increase between 2012-17: 468
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 97.1%
2017 per capita income: $24,555
Tannersville has a lot of options for recreation nearby. Whether it’s any of the forests to the east, south and north or the ski slopes on nearby Hunter Mountain, residents should be able to keep busy. And if that leads to a nap on the shores of Lake Rip Van Winkle — located within the town’s borders — all the better. Just make sure you set an alarm.
Pictured: Hunter Mountain ski resort
Sidney, Montana
2012-17 average population: 5,995
Total population increase between 2012-17: 1,131
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 21.1%
2017 per capita income: $32,151
Sidney is on the Yellowstone River near the border with North Dakota, and it’s been on the rise. The town added over 1,000 people from 2012 to 2017.
Fairfield, Maine
2012-17 average population: 2,842
Total population increase between 2012-17: 974
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 43.35%
2017 per capita income: $18,157
Situated on the banks of the Kennebec River southwest of Bangor, Fairfield is relatively close to the Atlantic coast and a short drive from Mount Desert Island — home to the stunning Acadia National Park.
Hosford, Florida
2012-17 average population: 655
Total population increase between 2012-17: 417
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 109.16%
2017 per capita income: $23,903
West of Tallahassee, Hosford is only separated from the Gulf Coast by the Apalachicola National Forest and Tate’s Hell State Forest.
Wallace, California
2012-17 average population: 724
Total population increase between 2012-17: 507
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 102.42%
2017 per capita income: $41,230
Near to Stockton and Lodi, Wallace directly abuts the Camanche Reservoir. And from 2012 to 2017, it more than doubled its population with some 507 new residents.
Pictured: Wallace Creek
Mackinac Island, Michigan
2012-17 average population: 639
Total population increase between 2012-17: 453
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 114.39%
2017 per capita income: $27,472
The island is one of Michigan’s true gems. Motor vehicles are banned — transportation consists mainly of bicycles and horse-drawn carriages — and you can enjoy incredible views of the Mackinac Bridge or visit the Fort Mackinac historical site, among other things.
Green Acres, North Dakota
2012-17 average population: 595
Total population increase between 2012-17: 391
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 125.72%
2017 per capita income: $6,694
Green Acres was named one of the top 10 small cities in North Dakota. Seated close to the border with Canada, you’re not far from Devils Lake and the Turtle Mountain Provincial Park directly across the border. So, yes, Green Acres is in fact the place to be.
Pictured: Devils Lake
North Pearsall, Texas
2012-17 average population: 912
Total population increase between 2012-17: 713
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 108.19%
2017 per capita income: $15,664
The fact that both Pearsall and North Pearsall — which, as the name indicates, is just north of Pearsall — made this list should indicate there’s a lot of interest in living far enough outside San Antonio to avoid city life. But you’ll at least be close enough that you can drive to it when you feel like a night on the town.
Pictured: San Antonio, Texas
Pastoria, Virginia
2012-17 average population: 1,007
Total population increase between 2012-17: 736
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 126.46%
2017 per capita income: $11,712
Located on the finger of land that forms the eastern side of Chesapeake Bay, Pastoria is near the Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland.
Pictured: Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland
Flintville, Tennessee
2012-17 average population: 529
Total population increase between 2012-17: 445
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 161.82%
2017 per capita income: $14,447
Located just north of the border with Alabama, this Tennessee town is a short drive to Tims Ford State Park. And from 2012 to 2017 it had a whopping 161.82% increase in its population.
Midpines, California
2012-17 average population: 874
Total population increase between 2012-17: 817
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 134.6%
2017 per capita income: $28,957
If jaw-droppingly breathtaking scenery is your jam, Midpines might be your best option of the towns listed here. Sitting just inside the border of Yosemite National Park, you’re a very short drive from the stunning Yosemite Valley, El Capitan and Half Dome.
Mora, New Mexico
2012-17 average population: 704
Total population increase between 2012-17: 620
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 292.45%
2017 per capita income: $8,826
This one should be called “Mora People” as it has the largest percent increase of any town on this list. The New Mexico burg — located just to the east of Carson National Forest and south of Taos Ski Valley — nearly quadrupled in size from 2012 to 2017, with the population jumping over 292%.
Conway, New Hampshire
2012-17 average population: 2,333
Total population increase between 2012-17: 2,466
Percentage increase in population between 2012-17: 195.56%
2017 per capita income: $26,725
Conway saw the second-largest percentage increase over the period in question, essentially tripling in size. It also had the largest total increase by a long shot — with the 2,466 new residents more than doubling the second-highest figure. So, whether it’s the town’s proximity to Portland, Maine, or the Crawford Notch State Park that it directly abuts, there’s clearly something motivating people to take up residence here.
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Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed all 50 states to discover the fastest-growing towns in rural America. Using the guidelines laid out by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration, GOBankingRates defined a rural town as a place with a population of 500-50,000 people and located within a county that is not included in a metro area. Statistical Atlas was used to identify these counties. With these parameters in mind, GOBankingRates found each rural town’s (1) population change from 2012-2017 and (2) the percentage increase in population from 2012-2017 using the United States Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey. These two factors were scored and combined with the lower score being better to determine the final rankings. GOBankingRates also found each rural town’s 2017 per capita income as sourced from the United States Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey. All data compiled on Aug. 19-20, 2019.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Fastest-Growing Towns in Rural America
