Is being in an area of Wisconsin that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Milwaukee and Madison, while others want peace and quiet like in Union Grove and Dodgeville, 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 Wisconsin 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 Badger 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 Wisconsin For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Wisconsin for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Bristol ranks as the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin. If you happen to be a resident of Bristol, 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 Wisconsin grow like weeds.
For more Wisconsin state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Wisconsin For 2026
1. Bristol
/10
Population: 5,207
Population 2010: 2,563
Percent Growth 103.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,644
More on Bristol: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Hobart
/10
Population: 10,610
Population 2010: 5,993
Percent Growth 77.0%
Absolute Growth: 4,617
More on Hobart: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Verona
/10
Population: 15,232
Population 2010: 10,033
Percent Growth 51.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,199
More on Verona: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Cottage Grove
/10
Population: 8,513
Population 2010: 5,824
Percent Growth 46.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,689
More on Cottage Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Waunakee
/10
Population: 15,687
Population 2010: 11,557
Percent Growth 35.7%
Absolute Growth: 4,130
More on Waunakee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Sun Prairie
/10
Population: 37,570
Population 2010: 27,808
Percent Growth 35.1%
Absolute Growth: 9,762
More on Sun Prairie: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Holmen
/10
Population: 11,372
Population 2010: 8,455
Percent Growth 34.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,917
More on Holmen: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Fitchburg
/10
Population: 32,619
Population 2010: 24,466
Percent Growth 33.3%
Absolute Growth: 8,153
More on Fitchburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Altoona
/10
Population: 8,878
Population 2010: 6,685
Percent Growth 32.8%
Absolute Growth: 2,193
More on Altoona: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Deforest
/10
Population: 11,501
Population 2010: 8,669
Percent Growth 32.7%
Absolute Growth: 2,832
More on Deforest: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Badger 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 145 Wisconsin 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 Badger 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 Wisconsin.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Wisconsin with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Wisconsin, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Wisconsin are led by Bristol which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Wisconsin are Bristol, Hobart, Verona, Cottage Grove, Waunakee, Sun Prairie, Holmen, Fitchburg, Altoona, and DeForest.
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):
- Prairie Du Chien
- Two Rivers
- Ashland
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
Fastest Growing Places In Wisconsin For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 5,207 | 2,563 | 103.2% | 2,644 |
| 2 | Hobart | 10,610 | 5,993 | 77.0% | 4,617 |
| 3 | Verona | 15,232 | 10,033 | 51.8% | 5,199 |
| 4 | Cottage Grove | 8,513 | 5,824 | 46.2% | 2,689 |
| 5 | Waunakee | 15,687 | 11,557 | 35.7% | 4,130 |
| 6 | Sun Prairie | 37,570 | 27,808 | 35.1% | 9,762 |
| 7 | Holmen | 11,372 | 8,455 | 34.5% | 2,917 |
| 8 | Fitchburg | 32,619 | 24,466 | 33.3% | 8,153 |
| 9 | Altoona | 8,878 | 6,685 | 32.8% | 2,193 |
| 10 | Deforest | 11,501 | 8,669 | 32.7% | 2,832 |