Is being in an area of Idaho that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Boise City and Meridian, while others want peace and quiet like in Shelley and Kimberly, 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 Idaho 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 Gem 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 Idaho for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Star ranks as the fastest-growing city in Idaho. If you happen to be a resident of Star, 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 Idaho grow like weeds.
For more Idaho state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Idaho
- Cheapest Places To Live In Idaho
- Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Idaho For 2026
1. Star
/10
Population: 14,745
Population 2010: 5,173
Percent Growth 185.0%
Absolute Growth: 9,572
More on Star: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Middleton
/10
Population: 10,649
Population 2010: 5,203
Percent Growth 104.7%
Absolute Growth: 5,446
More on Middleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Kuna
/10
Population: 27,158
Population 2010: 13,764
Percent Growth 97.3%
Absolute Growth: 13,394
More on Kuna: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Meridian
/10
Population: 130,138
Population 2010: 68,953
Percent Growth 88.7%
Absolute Growth: 61,185
More on Meridian: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Eagle
/10
Population: 32,855
Population 2010: 18,752
Percent Growth 75.2%
Absolute Growth: 14,103
More on Eagle: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Rathdrum
/10
Population: 10,874
Population 2010: 6,545
Percent Growth 66.1%
Absolute Growth: 4,329
More on Rathdrum: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Post Falls
/10
Population: 43,391
Population 2010: 26,179
Percent Growth 65.7%
Absolute Growth: 17,212
More on Post Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Rexburg
/10
Population: 40,543
Population 2010: 24,513
Percent Growth 65.4%
Absolute Growth: 16,030
More on Rexburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Kimberly
/10
10. Ammon
/10
Population: 19,064
Population 2010: 12,443
Percent Growth 53.2%
Absolute Growth: 6,621
More on Ammon: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Gem 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 36 Idaho 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 Gem 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 Idaho.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Idaho with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Idaho, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Idaho are led by Star which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Idaho are Star, Middleton, Kuna, Meridian, Eagle, Rathdrum, Post Falls, Rexburg, Kimberly, and Ammon.
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):
- Pocatello
- Weiser
- Lewiston
For more Idaho reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Idaho For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star | 14,745 | 5,173 | 185.0% | 9,572 |
| 2 | Middleton | 10,649 | 5,203 | 104.7% | 5,446 |
| 3 | Kuna | 27,158 | 13,764 | 97.3% | 13,394 |
| 4 | Meridian | 130,138 | 68,953 | 88.7% | 61,185 |
| 5 | Eagle | 32,855 | 18,752 | 75.2% | 14,103 |
| 6 | Rathdrum | 10,874 | 6,545 | 66.1% | 4,329 |
| 7 | Post Falls | 43,391 | 26,179 | 65.7% | 17,212 |
| 8 | Rexburg | 40,543 | 24,513 | 65.4% | 16,030 |
| 9 | Kimberly | 5,111 | 3,148 | 62.4% | 1,963 |
| 10 | Ammon | 19,064 | 12,443 | 53.2% | 6,621 |