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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 Detroit and Grand Rapids, while others want peace and quiet like in Kingsford and Allegan, 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 Michigan 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 Wolverine State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in Michigan for 2020 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Michigan For 2020
What's the fastest growing city in Michigan for 2020? Based on the most recent ACS data, Coldwater ranks as the fastest growing city in Michigan. If you happen to be a resident of Coldwater, 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 Michigan are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in Michigan or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more Michigan state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Michigan For 2020
/10
Population: 12,284
Rank Last Year: 75 (Up 74)
Population 2010: 10,979
Percent Growth 11.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,305
More on Coldwater: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County, located in the center of the southern border of Michigan.
/10
Population: 6,186
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 5,538
Percent Growth 11.7%
Absolute Growth: 648
More on Rockford: Homes For Sale | Data
Rockford is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,719. It is on the Rogue River and is only 14 miles north of Grand Rapids.
/10
Population: 59,625
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 53,823
Percent Growth 10.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,802
More on Novi: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately 25 miles northwest of the center of Detroit, and about 8 miles west of the western border of Detroit. It is about 25 miles northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located within the boundaries of the survey township of Novi Township. The remaining unincorporated township is only a tiny fraction surrounded by the city.
/10
Population: 23,107
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 21,162
Percent Growth 9.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,945
More on Auburn Hills: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of Chrysler, The Palace of Auburn Hills, and Oakland University.
/10
Population: 12,365
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 11,327
Percent Growth 9.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,038
More on New Baltimore: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
New Baltimore is a city and a historic, coastal resort community in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,084 at the 2010 census. New Baltimore is in Metropolitan Detroit.
/10
Population: 5,295
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 4,875
Percent Growth 8.6%
Absolute Growth: 420
More on Chelsea: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 11,642
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 3)
Population 2010: 10,734
Percent Growth 8.5%
Absolute Growth: 908
More on East Grand Rapids: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is located on the shores of Reeds Lake. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,694.
/10
Population: 51,525
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 48,242
Percent Growth 6.8%
Absolute Growth: 3,283
More on Kentwood: Homes For Sale | Data
Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 48,707 at the 2010 census.
/10
Population: 13,130
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 12,312
Percent Growth 6.6%
Absolute Growth: 818
More on Rochester: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Rochester is a city on the north side of the Detroit Metropolitan Area, in Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census.
/10
Population: 11,786
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 11,072
Percent Growth 6.4%
Absolute Growth: 714
More on South Lyon: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
South Lyon is a city in Southwestern Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in Metro Detroit. The population was 11,327 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area, which had a population of 106,139 according to the 2000 census. South Lyon is located in Oakland County's Lyon Township, near the Livingston County and Washtenaw County lines. The city is 19 miles north of Ann Arbor, 45 miles west of Detroit and 58 miles east of Lansing.
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Wolverine State for 2020
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 148 Michigan 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 Wolverine 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 Michigan with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In Michigan, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Michigan are led by Coldwater 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):
- Highland Park
- Detroit
- Flint
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Michigan For 2020
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coldwater | 11.9% |
| 2 | Rockford | 11.7% |
| 3 | Novi | 10.8% |
| 4 | Auburn Hills | 9.2% |
| 5 | New Baltimore | 9.2% |
| 6 | Chelsea | 8.6% |
| 7 | East Grand Rapids | 8.5% |
| 8 | Kentwood | 6.8% |
| 9 | Rochester | 6.6% |
| 10 | South Lyon | 6.4% |
