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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 Milwaukee and Madison, while others want peace and quiet like in West Salem and Richland Center, 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 Wisconsin 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 Badger State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in Wisconsin for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Wisconsin For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in Wisconsin for 2021? 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 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 Wisconsin are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in Wisconsin or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more Wisconsin state reading:
- 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 2021
1. Bristol
/10
Population: 5,038
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 2,563
Percent Growth 96.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,475
More on Bristol: Homes For Sale | Data
2. Hobart
/10
Population: 9,053
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,993
Percent Growth 51.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,060
More on Hobart: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Verona
/10
Population: 13,004
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 10,033
Percent Growth 29.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,971
More on Verona: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Cottage Grove
/10
Population: 7,020
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,824
Percent Growth 20.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,196
More on Cottage Grove: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Fitchburg
/10
Population: 29,450
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 24,466
Percent Growth 20.4%
Absolute Growth: 4,984
More on Fitchburg: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Sun Prairie
/10
Population: 33,321
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 27,808
Percent Growth 19.8%
Absolute Growth: 5,513
More on Sun Prairie: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Waunakee
/10
Population: 13,730
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 11,557
Percent Growth 18.8%
Absolute Growth: 2,173
More on Waunakee: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Howard
/10
Population: 19,658
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 16,735
Percent Growth 17.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,923
More on Howard: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Deforest
/10
Population: 10,179
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 8,669
Percent Growth 17.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,510
More on Deforest: Homes For Sale | Data
10. Suamico
/10
Population: 12,701
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Population 2010: 10,867
Percent Growth 16.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,834
More on Suamico: Homes For Sale | Data
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Badger 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 142 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]
Here's a graph of the cities in Wisconsin with the largest percent increase in population:
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.
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):
- Merrill
- Antigo
- Two Rivers
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Wisconsin For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 96.6% |
| 2 | Hobart | 51.1% |
| 3 | Verona | 29.6% |
| 4 | Cottage Grove | 20.5% |
| 5 | Fitchburg | 20.4% |
| 6 | Sun Prairie | 19.8% |
| 7 | Waunakee | 18.8% |
| 8 | Howard | 17.5% |
| 9 | Deforest | 17.4% |
| 10 | Suamico | 16.9% |
