Is being in an area of Iowa that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, while others want peace and quiet like in Vinton and Manchester, 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 Iowa 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 Hawkeye State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Iowa For 2023
What’s the fastest growing city in Iowa for 2023? Based on the most recent ACS data, Bondurant ranks as the fastest-growing city in Iowa. If you happen to be a resident of Bondurant, 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 Iowa grow like weeds.
For more Iowa state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Iowa For 2023
1. Bondurant
/10
Population: 7,163
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 3,486
Percent Growth 105.5%
Absolute Growth: 3,677
More on Bondurant: Real Estate | Data | Cost Of Living
2. Grimes
/10
Population: 14,842
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 7,653
Percent Growth 93.9%
Absolute Growth: 7,189
More on Grimes: Real Estate | Data | Cost Of Living
3. Waukee
/10
Population: 23,441
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 12,305
Percent Growth 90.5%
Absolute Growth: 11,136
More on Waukee: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
4. North Liberty
/10
Population: 19,976
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 11,889
Percent Growth 68.0%
Absolute Growth: 8,087
More on North Liberty: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
5. Ankeny
/10
Population: 66,346
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 42,211
Percent Growth 57.2%
Absolute Growth: 24,135
More on Ankeny: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
6. Asbury
/10
Population: 5,795
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 3,852
Percent Growth 50.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,943
More on Asbury: Real Estate | Data | Cost Of Living
7. Johnston
/10
Population: 23,418
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Population 2010: 15,723
Percent Growth 48.9%
Absolute Growth: 7,695
More on Johnston: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
8. Norwalk
/10
Population: 12,592
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 8,622
Percent Growth 46.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,970
More on Norwalk: Real Estate | Data | Cost Of Living
9. Altoona
/10
Population: 19,345
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 13,757
Percent Growth 40.6%
Absolute Growth: 5,588
More on Altoona: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
10. Pleasant Hill
/10
Population: 10,203
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 8,100
Percent Growth 26.0%
Absolute Growth: 2,103
More on Pleasant Hill: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Hawkeye State for 2023
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 2021)
We ranked all 80 Iowa cities with a population over 4,000 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 Hawkeye 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 2023. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in Iowa.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Iowa with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Iowa, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Iowa are led by Bondurant 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):
- Clinton
- Keokuk
- Estherville
For more Iowa reading, check out:
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Iowa For 2023
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bondurant | 105.5% |
| 2 | Grimes | 93.9% |
| 3 | Waukee | 90.5% |
| 4 | North Liberty | 68.0% |
| 5 | Ankeny | 57.2% |
| 6 | Asbury | 50.4% |
| 7 | Johnston | 48.9% |
| 8 | Norwalk | 46.0% |
| 9 | Altoona | 40.6% |
| 10 | Pleasant Hill | 26.0% |
