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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 Columbus and Cleveland, while others want peace and quiet like in Obetz and Munroe Falls, 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 Ohio 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 Buckeye State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in Ohio for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Ohio For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in Ohio for 2021? Based on the most recent ACS data, Sunbury ranks as the fastest growing city in Ohio. If you happen to be a resident of Sunbury, 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 Ohio are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in Ohio or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more Ohio state reading:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Ohio For 2021
1. Sunbury
/10
Population: 5,573
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 4,168
Percent Growth 33.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,405
More on Sunbury: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
2. Hilliard
/10
Population: 36,411
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 27,505
Percent Growth 32.4%
Absolute Growth: 8,906
More on Hilliard: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Harrison
/10
Population: 12,006
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 9,394
Percent Growth 27.8%
Absolute Growth: 2,612
More on Harrison: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Powell
/10
Population: 13,141
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 10,773
Percent Growth 22.0%
Absolute Growth: 2,368
More on Powell: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Pickerington
/10
Population: 20,631
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population 2010: 17,003
Percent Growth 21.3%
Absolute Growth: 3,628
More on Pickerington: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Grandview Heights
/10
Population: 7,895
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 6,548
Percent Growth 20.6%
Absolute Growth: 1,347
More on Grandview Heights: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Delaware
/10
Population: 40,568
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
Population 2010: 33,672
Percent Growth 20.5%
Absolute Growth: 6,896
More on Delaware: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Grove City
/10
Population: 40,797
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 33,947
Percent Growth 20.2%
Absolute Growth: 6,850
More on Grove City: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Monroe
/10
Population: 14,211
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 11,868
Percent Growth 19.7%
Absolute Growth: 2,343
More on Monroe: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. Dublin
/10
Population: 46,499
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 39,245
Percent Growth 18.5%
Absolute Growth: 7,254
More on Dublin: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Buckeye 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 248 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]
Here's a graph of the cities in Ohio with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In Ohio, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Ohio are led by Sunbury 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):
- East Cleveland
- Girard
- Grafton
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Ohio For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunbury | 33.7% |
| 2 | Hilliard | 32.4% |
| 3 | Harrison | 27.8% |
| 4 | Powell | 22.0% |
| 5 | Pickerington | 21.3% |
| 6 | Grandview Heights | 20.6% |
| 7 | Delaware | 20.5% |
| 8 | Grove City | 20.2% |
| 9 | Monroe | 19.7% |
| 10 | Dublin | 18.5% |
