The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Alabama For 2024


The fastest-growing cities in Alabama are Pike Road and Gulf Shores for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

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

  1. Pike Road
  2. Gulf Shores
  3. Chelsea
  4. Calera
  5. Foley
  6. Orange Beach
  7. Spanish Fort
  8. Fairhope
  9. Auburn
  10. Madison

Fastest Growing Cities In Alabama Map

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:

The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Alabama For 2024

1. Pike Road

Pike Road, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Gulf Shores, AL

Source: Wikipedia User GulfShoresAlBeachJuly08B.jpg: Infrogmation derivative work: Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed) | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Chelsea, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Calera, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Pruitt | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Foley, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Pruitt | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Orange Beach, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Watson from Louisville, United States | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Spanish Fort, AL

Source: Wikipedia User JodyB | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Fairhope, AL

Source: Flickr User faungg’s photos | CC BY-ND 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Auburn, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Madison, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Pruitt | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/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:
Fastest Growing Cities in Alabama Graph For 2024

Click to enlarge

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):

  1. Prichard
  2. Atmore
  3. 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
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.