Is being in an area of Alabama that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Huntsville and Birmingham, while others want peace and quiet like in Headland and Midfield, 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 Alabama 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 Heart Of Dixie that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Alabama For 2024
What’s the fastest growing city in Alabama for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Pike Road ranks as the fastest-growing city in Alabama. If you happen to be a resident of Pike Road, 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 Alabama grow like weeds.
For more Alabama state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Alabama
- Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama
- Most Dangerous Cities In Alabama
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Alabama For 2024
1. Pike Road
/10
Population: 9,651
Population 2010: 5,072
Percent Growth 90.3%
Absolute Growth: 4,579
More on Pike Road: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Gulf Shores
/10
Population: 15,178
Population 2010: 9,035
Percent Growth 68.0%
Absolute Growth: 6,143
More on Gulf Shores: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Chelsea
/10
Population: 15,201
Population 2010: 9,202
Percent Growth 65.2%
Absolute Growth: 5,999
More on Chelsea: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Calera
/10
Population: 16,644
Population 2010: 10,374
Percent Growth 60.4%
Absolute Growth: 6,270
More on Calera: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Foley
/10
Population: 21,113
Population 2010: 13,570
Percent Growth 55.6%
Absolute Growth: 7,543
More on Foley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Orange Beach
/10
Population: 8,048
Population 2010: 5,185
Percent Growth 55.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,863
More on Orange Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Spanish Fort
/10
Population: 10,083
Population 2010: 6,624
Percent Growth 52.2%
Absolute Growth: 3,459
More on Spanish Fort: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Fairhope
/10
Population: 22,605
Population 2010: 14,927
Percent Growth 51.4%
Absolute Growth: 7,678
More on Fairhope: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Auburn
/10
Population: 76,660
Population 2010: 51,057
Percent Growth 50.1%
Absolute Growth: 25,603
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Madison
/10
Population: 56,967
Population 2010: 40,293
Percent Growth 41.4%
Absolute Growth: 16,674
More on Madison: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Heart Of Dixie 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 105 Alabama 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 Heart Of Dixie.
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 Alabama.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Alabama with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Alabama, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Alabama are led by Pike Road which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Alabama are Pike Road, Gulf Shores, Chelsea, Calera, Foley, Orange Beach, Spanish Fort, Fairhope, Auburn, and Madison.
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):
- Prichard
- Atmore
- Selma
For more Alabama reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Alabama For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pike Road | 9,651 | 5,072 | 90.3% | 4,579 |
| 2 | Gulf Shores | 15,178 | 9,035 | 68.0% | 6,143 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 15,201 | 9,202 | 65.2% | 5,999 |
| 4 | Calera | 16,644 | 10,374 | 60.4% | 6,270 |
| 5 | Foley | 21,113 | 13,570 | 55.6% | 7,543 |
| 6 | Orange Beach | 8,048 | 5,185 | 55.2% | 2,863 |
| 7 | Spanish Fort | 10,083 | 6,624 | 52.2% | 3,459 |
| 8 | Fairhope | 22,605 | 14,927 | 51.4% | 7,678 |
| 9 | Auburn | 76,660 | 51,057 | 50.1% | 25,603 |
| 10 | Madison | 56,967 | 40,293 | 41.4% | 16,674 |