Is being in an area of Illinois that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Chicago and Aurora, while others want peace and quiet like in Eureka and Pinckneyville, 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 Illinois 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 Prairie State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Illinois For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Illinois for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Volo ranks as the fastest-growing city in Illinois. If you happen to be a resident of Volo, 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 Illinois grow like weeds.
For more Illinois state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Dangerous Cities In Illinois
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Illinois For 2026
1. Volo
/10
Population: 6,706
Population 2010: 1,859
Percent Growth 260.7%
Absolute Growth: 4,847
More on Volo: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Pingree Grove
/10
Population: 10,914
Population 2010: 3,780
Percent Growth 188.7%
Absolute Growth: 7,134
More on Pingree Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Manhattan
/10
Population: 11,026
Population 2010: 6,511
Percent Growth 69.3%
Absolute Growth: 4,515
More on Manhattan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Hampshire
/10
Population: 8,524
Population 2010: 5,101
Percent Growth 67.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,423
More on Hampshire: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Yorkville
/10
Population: 23,617
Population 2010: 15,065
Percent Growth 56.8%
Absolute Growth: 8,552
More on Yorkville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Gilberts
/10
Population: 8,606
Population 2010: 5,866
Percent Growth 46.7%
Absolute Growth: 2,740
More on Gilberts: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Mahomet
/10
Population: 10,049
Population 2010: 6,888
Percent Growth 45.9%
Absolute Growth: 3,161
More on Mahomet: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Savoy
/10
Population: 8,968
Population 2010: 6,388
Percent Growth 40.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,580
More on Savoy: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Minooka
/10
Population: 12,891
Population 2010: 9,522
Percent Growth 35.4%
Absolute Growth: 3,369
More on Minooka: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Montgomery
/10
Population: 21,515
Population 2010: 15,957
Percent Growth 34.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,558
More on Montgomery: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Prairie 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 330 Illinois 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 Prairie 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 Illinois.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Illinois with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Illinois, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Illinois are led by Volo which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Illinois are Volo, Pingree Grove, Manhattan, Hampshire, Yorkville, Gilberts, Mahomet, Savoy, Minooka, and Montgomery.
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):
- East St. Louis
- Riverdale
- Macomb
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
Fastest Growing Places In Illinois For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volo | 6,706 | 1,859 | 260.7% | 4,847 |
| 2 | Pingree Grove | 10,914 | 3,780 | 188.7% | 7,134 |
| 3 | Manhattan | 11,026 | 6,511 | 69.3% | 4,515 |
| 4 | Hampshire | 8,524 | 5,101 | 67.1% | 3,423 |
| 5 | Yorkville | 23,617 | 15,065 | 56.8% | 8,552 |
| 6 | Gilberts | 8,606 | 5,866 | 46.7% | 2,740 |
| 7 | Mahomet | 10,049 | 6,888 | 45.9% | 3,161 |
| 8 | Savoy | 8,968 | 6,388 | 40.4% | 2,580 |
| 9 | Minooka | 12,891 | 9,522 | 35.4% | 3,369 |
| 10 | Montgomery | 21,515 | 15,957 | 34.8% | 5,558 |