Is being in an area of Washington that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Seattle and Spokane, while others want peace and quiet like in Omak and Connell, 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 Washington 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 Evergreen 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 Washington For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Washington for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Ridgefield ranks as the fastest-growing city in Washington. If you happen to be a resident of Ridgefield, 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 Washington grow like weeds.
For more Washington state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Washington
- Cheapest Places To Live In Washington
- Most Dangerous Cities In Washington
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Washington For 2026
1. Ridgefield
/10
Population: 13,408
Population 2010: 4,364
Percent Growth 207.2%
Absolute Growth: 9,044
More on Ridgefield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Kirkland
/10
Population: 92,621
Population 2010: 47,677
Percent Growth 94.3%
Absolute Growth: 44,944
More on Kirkland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Airway Heights
/10
Population: 11,245
Population 2010: 5,819
Percent Growth 93.2%
Absolute Growth: 5,426
More on Airway Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Liberty Lake
/10
Population: 12,737
Population 2010: 6,835
Percent Growth 86.3%
Absolute Growth: 5,902
More on Liberty Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Yelm
/10
Population: 11,102
Population 2010: 6,186
Percent Growth 79.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,916
More on Yelm: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Gig Harbor
/10
Population: 12,424
Population 2010: 7,102
Percent Growth 74.9%
Absolute Growth: 5,322
More on Gig Harbor: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Tumwater
/10
Population: 26,956
Population 2010: 16,834
Percent Growth 60.1%
Absolute Growth: 10,122
More on Tumwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Port Orchard
/10
Population: 17,149
Population 2010: 10,734
Percent Growth 59.8%
Absolute Growth: 6,415
More on Port Orchard: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. West Richland
/10
Population: 17,586
Population 2010: 11,037
Percent Growth 59.3%
Absolute Growth: 6,549
More on West Richland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Burien
/10
Population: 51,513
Population 2010: 32,743
Percent Growth 57.3%
Absolute Growth: 18,770
More on Burien: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Evergreen 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 122 Washington 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 Evergreen 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 Washington.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Washington with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Washington, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Washington are led by Ridgefield which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Washington are Ridgefield, Kirkland, Airway Heights, Liberty Lake, Yelm, Gig Harbor, Tumwater, Port Orchard, West Richland, and Burien.
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):
- Toppenish
- Clarkston
- Hoquiam
For more Washington reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Washington
- Safest Places In Washington
- Worst Places To Live In Washington
Fastest Growing Places In Washington For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgefield | 13,408 | 4,364 | 207.2% | 9,044 |
| 2 | Kirkland | 92,621 | 47,677 | 94.3% | 44,944 |
| 3 | Airway Heights | 11,245 | 5,819 | 93.2% | 5,426 |
| 4 | Liberty Lake | 12,737 | 6,835 | 86.3% | 5,902 |
| 5 | Yelm | 11,102 | 6,186 | 79.5% | 4,916 |
| 6 | Gig Harbor | 12,424 | 7,102 | 74.9% | 5,322 |
| 7 | Tumwater | 26,956 | 16,834 | 60.1% | 10,122 |
| 8 | Port Orchard | 17,149 | 10,734 | 59.8% | 6,415 |
| 9 | West Richland | 17,586 | 11,037 | 59.3% | 6,549 |
| 10 | Burien | 51,513 | 32,743 | 57.3% | 18,770 |