Is being in an area of Ohio that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Columbus and Cleveland, while others want peace and quiet like in St. Clairsville and Uhrichsville, 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 Ohio 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 Buckeye 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 Ohio For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Ohio for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, South Lebanon ranks as the fastest-growing city in Ohio. If you happen to be a resident of South Lebanon, 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 Ohio grow like weeds.
For more Ohio state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Ohio
- Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
- Most Dangerous Cities In Ohio
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Ohio For 2026
1. South Lebanon
/10
Population: 6,712
Population 2010: 3,809
Percent Growth 76.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,903
More on South Lebanon: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Pickerington
/10
Population: 24,477
Population 2010: 17,003
Percent Growth 44.0%
Absolute Growth: 7,474
More on Pickerington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Harrison
/10
Population: 13,084
Population 2010: 9,394
Percent Growth 39.3%
Absolute Growth: 3,690
More on Harrison: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Hilliard
/10
Population: 38,033
Population 2010: 27,505
Percent Growth 38.3%
Absolute Growth: 10,528
More on Hilliard: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Powell
/10
Population: 14,451
Population 2010: 10,773
Percent Growth 34.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,678
More on Powell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Delaware
/10
Population: 44,589
Population 2010: 33,672
Percent Growth 32.4%
Absolute Growth: 10,917
More on Delaware: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Grandview Heights
/10
Population: 8,647
Population 2010: 6,548
Percent Growth 32.1%
Absolute Growth: 2,099
More on Grandview Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Monroe
/10
Population: 15,401
Population 2010: 11,868
Percent Growth 29.8%
Absolute Growth: 3,533
More on Monroe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Avon
/10
Population: 25,317
Population 2010: 19,514
Percent Growth 29.7%
Absolute Growth: 5,803
More on Avon: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. North Ridgeville
/10
Population: 36,627
Population 2010: 28,303
Percent Growth 29.4%
Absolute Growth: 8,324
More on North Ridgeville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Buckeye 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 243 Ohio 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 Buckeye 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 Ohio.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Ohio with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Ohio, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Ohio are led by South Lebanon which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Ohio are South Lebanon, Pickerington, Harrison, Hilliard, Powell, Delaware, Grandview Heights, Monroe, Avon, and North Ridgeville.
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):
- East Cleveland
- East Liverpool
- Youngstown
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Ohio For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Lebanon | 6,712 | 3,809 | 76.2% | 2,903 |
| 2 | Pickerington | 24,477 | 17,003 | 44.0% | 7,474 |
| 3 | Harrison | 13,084 | 9,394 | 39.3% | 3,690 |
| 4 | Hilliard | 38,033 | 27,505 | 38.3% | 10,528 |
| 5 | Powell | 14,451 | 10,773 | 34.1% | 3,678 |
| 6 | Delaware | 44,589 | 33,672 | 32.4% | 10,917 |
| 7 | Grandview Heights | 8,647 | 6,548 | 32.1% | 2,099 |
| 8 | Monroe | 15,401 | 11,868 | 29.8% | 3,533 |
| 9 | Avon | 25,317 | 19,514 | 29.7% | 5,803 |
| 10 | North Ridgeville | 36,627 | 28,303 | 29.4% | 8,324 |