Is being in an area of Illinois that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Chicago and Aurora, while others want peace and quiet like in South Barrington and Carmi, 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 Illinois 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 Prairie 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 Illinois for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Volo ranks as the fastest-growing city in Illinois. If you happen to be a resident of Volo, 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 Illinois grow like weeds.
For more Illinois state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Dangerous Cities In Illinois
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Illinois For 2024
1. Volo
/10
Population: 6,368
Population 2010: 1,859
Percent Growth 242.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,509
More on Volo: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Pingree Grove
/10
Population: 10,213
Population 2010: 3,780
Percent Growth 170.2%
Absolute Growth: 6,433
More on Pingree Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Hampshire
/10
Population: 8,113
Population 2010: 5,101
Percent Growth 59.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,012
More on Hampshire: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Manhattan
/10
Population: 9,590
Population 2010: 6,511
Percent Growth 47.3%
Absolute Growth: 3,079
More on Manhattan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Yorkville
/10
Population: 21,273
Population 2010: 15,065
Percent Growth 41.2%
Absolute Growth: 6,208
More on Yorkville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Gilberts
/10
Population: 8,180
Population 2010: 5,866
Percent Growth 39.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,314
More on Gilberts: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Mahomet
/10
Population: 9,545
Population 2010: 6,888
Percent Growth 38.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,657
More on Mahomet: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Savoy
/10
Population: 8,682
Population 2010: 6,388
Percent Growth 35.9%
Absolute Growth: 2,294
More on Savoy: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Minooka
/10
Population: 12,606
Population 2010: 9,522
Percent Growth 32.4%
Absolute Growth: 3,084
More on Minooka: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Huntley
/10
Population: 27,652
Population 2010: 21,261
Percent Growth 30.1%
Absolute Growth: 6,391
More on Huntley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Prairie 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 330 Illinois 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 Prairie 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 Illinois.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Illinois with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Illinois, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Illinois are led by Volo which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Illinois are Volo, Pingree Grove, Hampshire, Manhattan, Yorkville, Gilberts, Mahomet, Savoy, Minooka, and Huntley.
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):
- East St. Louis
- Riverdale
- Harvey
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
Fastest Growing Places In Illinois For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volo | 6,368 | 1,859 | 242.5% | 4,509 |
| 2 | Pingree Grove | 10,213 | 3,780 | 170.2% | 6,433 |
| 3 | Hampshire | 8,113 | 5,101 | 59.0% | 3,012 |
| 4 | Manhattan | 9,590 | 6,511 | 47.3% | 3,079 |
| 5 | Yorkville | 21,273 | 15,065 | 41.2% | 6,208 |
| 6 | Gilberts | 8,180 | 5,866 | 39.4% | 2,314 |
| 7 | Mahomet | 9,545 | 6,888 | 38.6% | 2,657 |
| 8 | Savoy | 8,682 | 6,388 | 35.9% | 2,294 |
| 9 | Minooka | 12,606 | 9,522 | 32.4% | 3,084 |
| 10 | Huntley | 27,652 | 21,261 | 30.1% | 6,391 |