Is being in an area of Idaho that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Boise City and Meridian, while others want peace and quiet like in Rigby and Preston, 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 Idaho 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 Gem State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the fastest growing city in Idaho for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Star ranks as the fastest-growing city in Idaho. If you happen to be a resident of Star, 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 Idaho grow like weeds.
For more Idaho state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Idaho
- Cheapest Places To Live In Idaho
- Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Idaho For 2024
1. Star
/10
Population: 11,971
Population 2010: 5,173
Percent Growth 131.4%
Absolute Growth: 6,798
More on Star: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Middleton
/10
Population: 9,614
Population 2010: 5,203
Percent Growth 84.8%
Absolute Growth: 4,411
More on Middleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Kuna
/10
Population: 24,845
Population 2010: 13,764
Percent Growth 80.5%
Absolute Growth: 11,081
More on Kuna: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Meridian
/10
Population: 119,872
Population 2010: 68,953
Percent Growth 73.8%
Absolute Growth: 50,919
More on Meridian: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Eagle
/10
Population: 30,635
Population 2010: 18,752
Percent Growth 63.4%
Absolute Growth: 11,883
More on Eagle: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Rexburg
/10
Population: 38,803
Population 2010: 24,513
Percent Growth 58.3%
Absolute Growth: 14,290
More on Rexburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Post Falls
/10
Population: 40,002
Population 2010: 26,179
Percent Growth 52.8%
Absolute Growth: 13,823
More on Post Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Rathdrum
/10
Population: 9,556
Population 2010: 6,545
Percent Growth 46.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,011
More on Rathdrum: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Ammon
/10
Population: 17,921
Population 2010: 12,443
Percent Growth 44.0%
Absolute Growth: 5,478
More on Ammon: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Caldwell
/10
Population: 61,212
Population 2010: 43,749
Percent Growth 39.9%
Absolute Growth: 17,463
More on Caldwell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Gem 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 34 Idaho 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 Gem 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 Idaho.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Idaho with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Idaho, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Idaho are led by Star which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Idaho are Star, Middleton, Kuna, Meridian, Eagle, Rexburg, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Ammon, and Caldwell.
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):
- Weiser
- Pocatello
- Blackfoot
For more Idaho reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Idaho For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star | 11,971 | 5,173 | 131.4% | 6,798 |
| 2 | Middleton | 9,614 | 5,203 | 84.8% | 4,411 |
| 3 | Kuna | 24,845 | 13,764 | 80.5% | 11,081 |
| 4 | Meridian | 119,872 | 68,953 | 73.8% | 50,919 |
| 5 | Eagle | 30,635 | 18,752 | 63.4% | 11,883 |
| 6 | Rexburg | 38,803 | 24,513 | 58.3% | 14,290 |
| 7 | Post Falls | 40,002 | 26,179 | 52.8% | 13,823 |
| 8 | Rathdrum | 9,556 | 6,545 | 46.0% | 3,011 |
| 9 | Ammon | 17,921 | 12,443 | 44.0% | 5,478 |
| 10 | Caldwell | 61,212 | 43,749 | 39.9% | 17,463 |