Is being in an area of Michigan 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 Davison and Kingsford, 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 Michigan 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 Wolverine 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 Michigan For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Michigan for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, New Haven ranks as the fastest-growing city in Michigan. If you happen to be a resident of New Haven, 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 Michigan grow like weeds.
For more Michigan state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- 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 2026
1. New Haven
/10
Population: 6,475
Population 2010: 4,361
Percent Growth 48.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,114
More on New Haven: Data | Movers
2. Dundee
/10
Population: 5,744
Population 2010: 3,935
Percent Growth 46.0%
Absolute Growth: 1,809
More on Dundee: Data | Movers
3. Wixom
/10
Population: 17,295
Population 2010: 13,456
Percent Growth 28.5%
Absolute Growth: 3,839
More on Wixom: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Coldwater
/10
Population: 13,671
Population 2010: 10,979
Percent Growth 24.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,692
More on Coldwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Novi
/10
Population: 66,717
Population 2010: 53,823
Percent Growth 24.0%
Absolute Growth: 12,894
More on Novi: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Hamtramck
/10
Population: 27,743
Population 2010: 22,594
Percent Growth 22.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,149
More on Hamtramck: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Auburn Hills
/10
Population: 25,105
Population 2010: 21,162
Percent Growth 18.6%
Absolute Growth: 3,943
More on Auburn Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Melvindale
/10
Population: 12,554
Population 2010: 10,759
Percent Growth 16.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,795
More on Melvindale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Kentwood
/10
Population: 54,296
Population 2010: 48,242
Percent Growth 12.5%
Absolute Growth: 6,054
More on Kentwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Rockford
/10
Population: 6,218
Population 2010: 5,538
Percent Growth 12.3%
Absolute Growth: 680
More on Rockford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Wolverine 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 153 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]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Michigan.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Michigan with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Michigan, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Michigan are led by New Haven which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Michigan are New Haven, Dundee, Wixom, Coldwater, Novi, Hamtramck, Auburn Hills, Melvindale, Kentwood, and Rockford.
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
- Flint
- Big Rapids
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
Fastest Growing Places In Michigan For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven | 6,475 | 4,361 | 48.5% | 2,114 |
| 2 | Dundee | 5,744 | 3,935 | 46.0% | 1,809 |
| 3 | Wixom | 17,295 | 13,456 | 28.5% | 3,839 |
| 4 | Coldwater | 13,671 | 10,979 | 24.5% | 2,692 |
| 5 | Novi | 66,717 | 53,823 | 24.0% | 12,894 |
| 6 | Hamtramck | 27,743 | 22,594 | 22.8% | 5,149 |
| 7 | Auburn Hills | 25,105 | 21,162 | 18.6% | 3,943 |
| 8 | Melvindale | 12,554 | 10,759 | 16.7% | 1,795 |
| 9 | Kentwood | 54,296 | 48,242 | 12.5% | 6,054 |
| 10 | Rockford | 6,218 | 5,538 | 12.3% | 680 |