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 Swoyersville and Manheim, 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 2024
What’s the fastest growing city in Pennsylvania for 2024? 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 2024
1. Hazleton
/10
Population: 29,671
Population 2010: 24,877
Percent Growth 19.3%
Absolute Growth: 4,794
More on Hazleton: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Jefferson Hills
/10
Population: 12,296
Population 2010: 10,375
Percent Growth 18.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,921
More on Jefferson Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Conshohocken
/10
Population: 9,182
Population 2010: 7,789
Percent Growth 17.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,393
More on Conshohocken: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Franklin Park
/10
Population: 15,305
Population 2010: 12,985
Percent Growth 17.9%
Absolute Growth: 2,320
More on Franklin Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. West Hazleton
/10
6. Lansdale
/10
Population: 18,727
Population 2010: 16,211
Percent Growth 15.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,516
More on Lansdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Phoenixville
/10
Population: 18,723
Population 2010: 16,249
Percent Growth 15.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,474
More on Phoenixville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Oxford
/10
Population: 5,724
Population 2010: 4,971
Percent Growth 15.1%
Absolute Growth: 753
More on Oxford: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Mount Joy
/10
Population: 8,274
Population 2010: 7,310
Percent Growth 13.2%
Absolute Growth: 964
More on Mount Joy: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Carlisle
/10
Population: 20,846
Population 2010: 18,516
Percent Growth 12.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,330
More on Carlisle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Keystone State for 2024
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 2022)
We ranked all 189 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 2024. This report is our tenth 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, Jefferson Hills, Conshohocken, Franklin Park, West Hazleton, Lansdale, Phoenixville, Oxford, Mount Joy, and Carlisle.
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):
- California
- 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 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazleton | 29,671 | 24,877 | 19.3% | 4,794 |
| 2 | Jefferson Hills | 12,296 | 10,375 | 18.5% | 1,921 |
| 3 | Conshohocken | 9,182 | 7,789 | 17.9% | 1,393 |
| 4 | Franklin Park | 15,305 | 12,985 | 17.9% | 2,320 |
| 5 | West Hazleton | 5,130 | 4,410 | 16.3% | 720 |
| 6 | Lansdale | 18,727 | 16,211 | 15.5% | 2,516 |
| 7 | Phoenixville | 18,723 | 16,249 | 15.2% | 2,474 |
| 8 | Oxford | 5,724 | 4,971 | 15.1% | 753 |
| 9 | Mount Joy | 8,274 | 7,310 | 13.2% | 964 |
| 10 | Carlisle | 20,846 | 18,516 | 12.6% | 2,330 |
