Is being in an area of Pennsylvania that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, while others want peace and quiet like in Turtle Creek and Vandergrift, 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 Pennsylvania 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 Keystone 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 Pennsylvania For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Pennsylvania for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Hazleton ranks as the fastest-growing city in Pennsylvania. If you happen to be a resident of Hazleton, 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 Pennsylvania grow like weeds.
For more Pennsylvania state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Pennsylvania For 2026
1. Hazleton
/10
Population: 30,111
Population 2010: 24,877
Percent Growth 21.0%
Absolute Growth: 5,234
More on Hazleton: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Phoenixville
/10
Population: 19,452
Population 2010: 16,249
Percent Growth 19.7%
Absolute Growth: 3,203
More on Phoenixville: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Conshohocken
/10
Population: 9,282
Population 2010: 7,789
Percent Growth 19.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,493
More on Conshohocken: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Jefferson Hills
/10
Population: 12,317
Population 2010: 10,375
Percent Growth 18.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,942
More on Jefferson Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Carlisle
/10
Population: 21,852
Population 2010: 18,516
Percent Growth 18.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,336
More on Carlisle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. West Hazleton
/10
7. New Freedom
/10
Population: 5,066
Population 2010: 4,316
Percent Growth 17.4%
Absolute Growth: 750
More on New Freedom: Data | Movers
8. Franklin Park
/10
Population: 15,235
Population 2010: 12,985
Percent Growth 17.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,250
More on Franklin Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Lansdale
/10
Population: 19,011
Population 2010: 16,211
Percent Growth 17.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,800
More on Lansdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Oxford
/10
Population: 5,825
Population 2010: 4,971
Percent Growth 17.2%
Absolute Growth: 854
More on Oxford: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Keystone 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 191 Pennsylvania 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 Keystone 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 Pennsylvania.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Pennsylvania with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Pennsylvania, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Pennsylvania are led by Hazleton which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Pennsylvania are Hazleton, Phoenixville, Conshohocken, Jefferson Hills, Carlisle, West Hazleton, New Freedom, Franklin Park, Lansdale, and Oxford.
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):
- Edinboro
- Johnstown
- Mckeesport
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
- Safest Places In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Fastest Growing Places In Pennsylvania For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazleton | 30,111 | 24,877 | 21.0% | 5,234 |
| 2 | Phoenixville | 19,452 | 16,249 | 19.7% | 3,203 |
| 3 | Conshohocken | 9,282 | 7,789 | 19.2% | 1,493 |
| 4 | Jefferson Hills | 12,317 | 10,375 | 18.7% | 1,942 |
| 5 | Carlisle | 21,852 | 18,516 | 18.0% | 3,336 |
| 6 | West Hazleton | 5,178 | 4,410 | 17.4% | 768 |
| 7 | New Freedom | 5,066 | 4,316 | 17.4% | 750 |
| 8 | Franklin Park | 15,235 | 12,985 | 17.3% | 2,250 |
| 9 | Lansdale | 19,011 | 16,211 | 17.3% | 2,800 |
| 10 | Oxford | 5,825 | 4,971 | 17.2% | 854 |