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Is being in an area 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 Marseilles and Robbins, thank you very much.
But today we're going to put opinions aside and just look at the cold hard facts -- over the past five years, which cities in Illinois have the grown the fastest.
After getting knee deep in the Census's American Community Survey, we emerged with this set of cities in the Prairie State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in Illinois for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
What's the fastest growing city in Illinois for 2021? 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 too surprised to find it on our list.
If you're surprised--and you're wondering why these places are kind of a big deal--keep reading. We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Illinois are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in Illinois or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more Illinois state reading:
- 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 2021
1. Volo
/10
Population: 5,229
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 1,859
Percent Growth 181.3%
Absolute Growth: 3,370
More on Volo: Homes For Sale | Data
2. Pingree Grove
/10
Population: 8,107
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population 2010: 3,780
Percent Growth 114.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,327
More on Pingree Grove: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Savoy
/10
Population: 8,534
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 6,388
Percent Growth 33.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,146
More on Savoy: Homes For Sale | Data
4. Gilberts
/10
Population: 7,823
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,866
Percent Growth 33.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,957
More on Gilberts: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Yorkville
/10
Population: 19,352
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 15,065
Percent Growth 28.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,287
More on Yorkville: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Huntley
/10
Population: 26,966
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 21,261
Percent Growth 26.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,705
More on Huntley: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Oswego
/10
Population: 34,933
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 27,719
Percent Growth 26.0%
Absolute Growth: 7,214
More on Oswego: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Manhattan
/10
Population: 8,164
Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 5)
Population 2010: 6,511
Percent Growth 25.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,653
More on Manhattan: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Plano
/10
Population: 11,752
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 9,472
Percent Growth 24.1%
Absolute Growth: 2,280
More on Plano: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. Mahomet
/10
Population: 8,392
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Population 2010: 6,888
Percent Growth 21.8%
Absolute Growth: 1,504
More on Mahomet: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Prairie State for 2021
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we simply had to look at the growth rates for cities sine 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 2018)
We ranked all 336 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]
Here's a graph of the cities in Illinois with the largest percent increase in population:
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.
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):
- Taylorville
- West Frankfort
- Fairfield
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Illinois For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volo | 181.3% |
| 2 | Pingree Grove | 114.5% |
| 3 | Savoy | 33.6% |
| 4 | Gilberts | 33.4% |
| 5 | Yorkville | 28.5% |
| 6 | Huntley | 26.8% |
| 7 | Oswego | 26.0% |
| 8 | Manhattan | 25.4% |
| 9 | Plano | 24.1% |
| 10 | Mahomet | 21.8% |
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