Is being in an area of California that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, while others want peace and quiet like in Big Bear Lake and Jackson, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in California have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Golden State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the fastest growing city in California for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Lathrop ranks as the fastest-growing city in California. If you happen to be a resident of Lathrop, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in California grow like weeds.
For more California state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In California For 2026
1. Lathrop
/10
Population: 35,052
Population 2010: 17,040
Percent Growth 105.7%
Absolute Growth: 18,012
More on Lathrop: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Beaumont
/10
Population: 56,266
Population 2010: 32,847
Percent Growth 71.3%
Absolute Growth: 23,419
More on Beaumont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Dublin
/10
Population: 70,803
Population 2010: 42,657
Percent Growth 66.0%
Absolute Growth: 28,146
More on Dublin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Imperial
/10
Population: 21,430
Population 2010: 13,406
Percent Growth 59.9%
Absolute Growth: 8,024
More on Imperial: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Irvine
/10
Population: 311,690
Population 2010: 199,117
Percent Growth 56.5%
Absolute Growth: 112,573
More on Irvine: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Menifee
/10
Population: 110,305
Population 2010: 72,494
Percent Growth 52.2%
Absolute Growth: 37,811
More on Menifee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Lake Elsinore
/10
Population: 72,461
Population 2010: 48,644
Percent Growth 49.0%
Absolute Growth: 23,817
More on Lake Elsinore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Rio Vista
/10
Population: 10,102
Population 2010: 6,874
Percent Growth 47.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,228
More on Rio Vista: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Brentwood
/10
Population: 65,208
Population 2010: 46,283
Percent Growth 40.9%
Absolute Growth: 18,925
More on Brentwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Lincoln
/10
Population: 52,956
Population 2010: 37,771
Percent Growth 40.2%
Absolute Growth: 15,185
More on Lincoln: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Golden State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 426 California cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Golden State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in California.
Here’s a graph of the cities in California with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In California, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in California are led by Lathrop which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in California are Lathrop, Beaumont, Dublin, Imperial, Irvine, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Rio Vista, Brentwood, and Lincoln.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Paradise
- Taft
- Crescent City
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In California
- Safest Places In California
- Worst Places To Live In California
Fastest Growing Places In California For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lathrop | 35,052 | 17,040 | 105.7% | 18,012 |
| 2 | Beaumont | 56,266 | 32,847 | 71.3% | 23,419 |
| 3 | Dublin | 70,803 | 42,657 | 66.0% | 28,146 |
| 4 | Imperial | 21,430 | 13,406 | 59.9% | 8,024 |
| 5 | Irvine | 311,690 | 199,117 | 56.5% | 112,573 |
| 6 | Menifee | 110,305 | 72,494 | 52.2% | 37,811 |
| 7 | Lake Elsinore | 72,461 | 48,644 | 49.0% | 23,817 |
| 8 | Rio Vista | 10,102 | 6,874 | 47.0% | 3,228 |
| 9 | Brentwood | 65,208 | 46,283 | 40.9% | 18,925 |
| 10 | Lincoln | 52,956 | 37,771 | 40.2% | 15,185 |