Urbanization has been one of the defining demographic trends of late 20th and early 21st century America, with record numbers of Americans moving to cities in search of economic and social opportunities. Although COVID-19 provided an unexpected break on explosive urban growth, cities will continue to have plenty to offer people of all occupations, races, genders, and ages.
To find out which places are booming the most, social scientists use all kinds of metrics, from raw population numbers to the number of new contractor bond applications. These numbers make it clear that some cities are experiencing a larger share of the growth than others. So, you might wonder, which are these superstar cities of growth in the new millennium?
The list of eight cities we’ll talk about here aren’t ranked by one specific metric. Rather, the list is the product of scouring many different rankings and metrics to see which cities are showing up again and again in multiple categories. So, without further ado, here are eight cities that are seeing some of the largest gains in population and development.
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Fort Myers, FL
Its high quality of life has made sunny Fort Myers America’s number one fastest-growing city for several years in the late 2010s, with an astonishing five-year growth rate of over 14 percent. This beachfront city looks to continue its winning streak well into the 2020s, and it probably won’t hurt that it was recently named the best place to retire in America. The major challenge? Like all Florida cities, Fort Myers is struggling with confronting climate change and how it will adjust to increasingly powerful and dangerous hurricanes.
Charlotte, NC
The Queen City of Charlotte, NC has emerged as one of the new millennium’s hottest urban areas. Charlotte has long been the major east coast banking center after New York City, so its appeal for finance professionals is obvious. But Charlotte is also home to a burgeoning tech industry that’s made it one of the new economic powerhouses of the south. And with the equally hot tech and medical sector of the Research Triangle just a few hours away, North Carolina is among the new standard-bearers for innovation in the southeast.
Phoenix, AZ
Speaking of hot, let’s talk about Phoenix. Arizona’s sweltering climate hasn’t stopped its capital from becoming one of the consistent growth superstars of the late 20th century, and that looks to continue in the 21st century. Even the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t slow Phoenix down, as new construction starts still managed to explode by 82 percent in the first half of 2020—if you’re a Phoenix contractor, get those bid bonds ready, because work is probably coming your way! Phoenix, however, is another city that will have to confront the challenges of climate change head-on as they face summer temperatures that aren’t going anywhere but up.
Seattle, WA
Americans looking to make their way in the west coast tech and startup economy are flocking to Seattle. The presence of tech power players like Amazon and Facebook has put Seattle on a nearly equal footing with other west coast hubs like San Francisco and San Jose, and its quality of life is frequently ranked in the upper echelons of American cities. Like its west coast tech siblings, Seattle is also facing major challenges in affordable housing that it will have to remedy before it can be the egalitarian place that its progressive politicians aspire toward.
San Antonio, TX
Another new powerhouse of the Sun Belt is San Antonio, TX. This city’s abundant southwestern character and hot jobs market has made it one of the most popular destinations for Americans in the late 2010s. The secret sauce? A little bit of extra green—San Antonio shares Texas’s lack of a state income tax, but it is significantly more affordable than other big Texas metros like Austin and Dallas. On the side of potential concerns, San Antonio faces many of the same challenges from climate change as Phoenix—although, encouragingly, the city government recently approved a plan to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Charleston, SC
This charming old Southern city is surprisingly spry when it comes to building a new-money workforce. The once-small metro area is on pace to hit one million people by 2028, and it’s even gained the nickname “Silicon Harbor” for its influx of successful tech companies that have begun to remake downtown Charleston and its surrounding metros like Mount Pleasant. Unfortunately, Charleston is struggling with the same climate challenges as other Southeastern coastal cities, but it’s also a must that the city gets its aging infrastructure into a condition that can support a quickly increasing population.
Bend, OR
Many smaller and mid-sized cities are also seeing growth spurts, and Bend, OR is leading the charge. This city of around 100,000 benefits from its beautiful scenery—a key asset for cities in a market where outdoor access is an increasingly important consideration for relocators. In fact, Bend’s mayor cites the growth of telecommuting as one of the biggest factors driving Bend’s population explosion. Of course, when a small city like Bend goes into growth overdrive, there are bound to be some growing pains, so city leaders will need innovation to keep housing affordable and infrastructure updated.
Denver, CO
Denver, and its surrounding areas like Boulder and Aurora, is another urban area with just the right touch of the wild. The Mile High City appeals to many of the same outdoors-oriented folks flocking to cities like Bend but sweetens the pot with a larger, more diverse population and a bigger job market. However, like other hot housing markets in the west, Denver must choose how to deal with its affordable housing challenges if it wants to continue to grow equitably and sustainably.
Migration has always been part of the American story, and the eight cities we’ve talked about here are the beneficiaries of today’s major population movements. Where will these metros go from here? It’s hard to say, but they’ll have to master sustainable development and combat climate change to retain the edge that they have now.