3 of America’s Fastest Growing Cities are in Idaho

I saw a survey from Rocket Mortgage in February that placed only one city in Idaho in the top 15 fastest growing in America.  It was Meridian at number six.   No surprises there.  The place has been growing by leaps and bounds for a very long time.  The latest from the United States Census Bureau places Meridian at 13^th but is followed closely by Caldwell at 14^th and Nampa at 15^th.  I’ve been laboring under the myth that Nampa is a penal colony but apparently a lot of people want to live there.  Or, it’s a cheaper alternative than Meridian!

Twin Falls Missed the Cut

Twin Falls isn’t on the list and I can tell you that most people I talk to here in the Magic Valley are fine without being in the club.  A few months ago I was told the building market had cooled somewhat here.  Twin Falls joined the list of metropolitan regions in 2020 after the population exceeded 50,000 people.  In 2021, seven other cities across the country soared past the 50,000 mark.

The Census Bureau says most of the growth in America is taking place in western states.  Neighboring Utah had the highest number of housing starts last year.

Growth is Happening in Only a Few States

Other states seeing big growth are Texas, Florida, and Arizona.  Spring Hill, Tennessee also made the top 15 fastest growing communities.

There are mixed views on where growth is headed this year.  Some economists predict a recession.  If it’s severe, we could see people delaying moves, as they did during the Great Recession of 2008-2009.