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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 Utica 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 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Michigan For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in Michigan for 2021? Based on the most recent ACS data, Rockford ranks as the fastest growing city in Michigan. If you happen to be a resident of Rockford, 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 2021
1. Rockford
/10
Population: 6,254
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 5,538
Percent Growth 12.9%
Absolute Growth: 716
More on Rockford: Homes For Sale | Data
2. Novi
/10
Population: 60,014
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 53,823
Percent Growth 11.5%
Absolute Growth: 6,191
More on Novi: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Coldwater
/10
Population: 12,241
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 10,979
Percent Growth 11.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,262
More on Coldwater: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Auburn Hills
/10
Population: 23,572
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 21,162
Percent Growth 11.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,410
More on Auburn Hills: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. East Grand Rapids
/10
Population: 11,759
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 10,734
Percent Growth 9.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,025
More on East Grand Rapids: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Chelsea
/10
Population: 5,331
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population 2010: 4,875
Percent Growth 9.4%
Absolute Growth: 456
More on Chelsea: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. New Baltimore
/10
Population: 12,358
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 11,327
Percent Growth 9.1%
Absolute Growth: 1,031
More on New Baltimore: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Milan
/10
Population: 6,107
Rank Last Year: 16 (Up 8)
Population 2010: 5,668
Percent Growth 7.7%
Absolute Growth: 439
More on Milan: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Kentwood
/10
Population: 51,693
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 48,242
Percent Growth 7.2%
Absolute Growth: 3,451
More on Kentwood: Homes For Sale | Data
10. Rochester
/10
Population: 13,162
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 12,312
Percent Growth 6.9%
Absolute Growth: 850
More on Rochester: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Wolverine 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 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 Rockford 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 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockford | 12.9% |
| 2 | Novi | 11.5% |
| 3 | Coldwater | 11.5% |
| 4 | Auburn Hills | 11.4% |
| 5 | East Grand Rapids | 9.5% |
| 6 | Chelsea | 9.4% |
| 7 | New Baltimore | 9.1% |
| 8 | Milan | 7.7% |
| 9 | Kentwood | 7.2% |
| 10 | Rochester | 6.9% |
