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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 Jackson and Gulfport, while others want peace and quiet like in Ripley and Aberdeen, 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 Mississippi 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 Magnolia State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in Mississippi for 2020 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Mississippi For 2020
- D'Iberville (Photos)
- Bay St. Louis (Photos)
- Oxford (Photos)
- Hernando (Photos)
- Pass Christian (Photos)
- Flowood (Photos)
- Olive Branch (Photos)
- Southaven (Photos)
- Brandon (Photos)
- Tupelo (Photos)
What's the fastest growing city in Mississippi for 2020? Based on the most recent ACS data, D'Iberville ranks as the fastest growing city in Mississippi. If you happen to be a resident of D'Iberville, 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 Mississippi are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in Mississippi or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more Mississippi state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Mississippi
- Cheapest Places To Live In Mississippi
- Most Dangerous Cities In Mississippi
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Mississippi For 2020
/10
Population: 13,531
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 8,905
Percent Growth 51.9%
Absolute Growth: 4,626
More on D'iberville: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
D'Iberville is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, immediately north of Biloxi, across the Back Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 9,486. It is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area.
/10
Population: 12,465
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 9,349
Percent Growth 33.3%
Absolute Growth: 3,116
More on Bay St. Louis: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 23,037
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 17,990
Percent Growth 28.1%
Absolute Growth: 5,047
More on Oxford: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract.
/10
Population: 15,807
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 13,253
Percent Growth 19.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,554
More on Hernando: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Hernando is a city in and the county seat of DeSoto County, which is on the northwest border of Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,090 at the 2010 census, up from 6,812 in 2000. DeSoto County is the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area.
/10
Population: 5,669
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 4,809
Percent Growth 17.9%
Absolute Growth: 860
More on Pass Christian: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Pass Christian, nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,613 at the 2010 census.
/10
Population: 8,870
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 7,586
Percent Growth 16.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,284
More on Flowood: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Flowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi. The population was 7,823 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.
/10
Population: 36,721
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Population 2010: 31,910
Percent Growth 15.1%
Absolute Growth: 4,811
More on Olive Branch: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Olive Branch is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 33,484 at the 2010 census, up from 21,054 in 2000. Olive Branch is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, five counties in northwest Mississippi, and two counties in eastern Arkansas. From 1990 to 2010 Olive Branch was the fastest growing city in the United States, with a growth rate of 838%. Along with other rapidly growing suburbs in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of middle-class families from central Memphis.
/10
Population: 53,274
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Population 2010: 46,743
Percent Growth 14.0%
Absolute Growth: 6,531
More on Southaven: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and a principal city in the Memphis metropolitan area. The 2010 census reported a population of 48,982, making Southaven the third-largest city in Mississippi. Southaven is traversed from north to south by the I/I-69 freeway. The city's name derives from the fact that Southaven is located south of Whitehaven, a neighborhood in Memphis.
/10
Population: 23,688
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 21,072
Percent Growth 12.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,616
More on Brandon: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi. The population was 21,705 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Rankin County. Brandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area and located east of the state capital.
/10
Population: 38,270
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 34,363
Percent Growth 11.4%
Absolute Growth: 3,907
More on Tupelo: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
Tupelo is the county seat and the largest city of Lee County, Mississippi. The seventh-largest city in the state, it is situated in Northeast Mississippi, between Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama. It is accessed by Interstate 22. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,546, with the surrounding counties of Lee, Pontotoc and Itawamba supporting a population of 139,671
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Magnolia 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 61 Mississippi 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 Magnolia 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 Mississippi with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In Mississippi, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Mississippi are led by D'Iberville 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):
- Indianola
- Clarksdale
- Greenville
For more Mississippi reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Mississippi
- Safest Places In Mississippi
- Worst Places To Live In Mississippi
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Mississippi For 2020
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D'iberville | 51.9% |
| 2 | Bay St. Louis | 33.3% |
| 3 | Oxford | 28.1% |
| 4 | Hernando | 19.3% |
| 5 | Pass Christian | 17.9% |
| 6 | Flowood | 16.9% |
| 7 | Olive Branch | 15.1% |
| 8 | Southaven | 14.0% |
| 9 | Brandon | 12.4% |
| 10 | Tupelo | 11.4% |
