America’s fastest growing city is tiny 43,000-strong town in remote area beloved for incredible festivals
Newly released Census data shows that large numbers of Americans are flocking to small Texas towns for a fresh start, including America’s fastest-growing city: Celina.
In addition to Celina, Texas is home to eight of the fifteen fastest-growing cities with a population of 20,000 or more. Celina, a small town in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, took first place.
Celina had a population of about 17,000 when the 2020 census was taken. Now the population of the city has more than doubled to over 43,000 from December 2023.
Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, shared the New York Post that small cities like Celina often top the list of fastest population growth because their smaller size makes it easier for them to experience large percentage changes.
“The growth rate is a good reflection of how significant the change is likely to be perceived by local people,” Hale said.
But since the average home price in Celina is approximately $680,000it’s safe to say that the people moving there are not looking for cheap housing.
In fact, the average list price for a home in nearby Dallas is 29 percent cheaper, at just $479,000.
On the contrary, Celina’s newest transplants are likely there for the hour-long commute to Dallas, the well-ranked schools and the low crime rates.
Celina also has quite a culture of its own, known for hosting festivals full of delicious food and attractions.
The downtown square hosted a Cajun celebration last weekend, with the event billed as the “Largest crawfish cook in North Texas.’
The event was completed with live alligator shows, a family-friendly carnival and a live performance by country star Aaron Watson.
Fulshear, also in Texas, was close behind Celina in population growth, and it has also seen home prices rise. Expect to pay $519,000 for the average home.
Fulshear’s 25.6 percent boom between July 2022 and July 2023 can be partially attributed to its proximity to Houston, which is an hour’s drive away.
But cities like Celina and Fulshear have a big tax advantage over other states with high income taxes, like California or New York.
Pictured: Children watch from behind a fence as a man struggles with an alligator
People dance and celebrate at the Cajun Fest in Celina, Texas
A city sign in Celina, Texas
“A lot of companies move here for tax purposes, and there’s no income tax,” said Wendy Flynn, who works at Texas real estate firm Keller Williams.
“And there are different communities to live in, whether it’s a vibrant metropolitan area or a charming small town,” Flynn added.
Princeton, Texas was the third fastest growing city with a median home price of $350,000, and Anna, Texas was fourth with a median price of $427,500.
The only California entry on the list was Lathrop, with home prices routinely going well above $700,000.
However, Texas real estate also gets pricey in certain areas.
Look no further than the ninth fastest growing city: Prosper, Texas. The average home there could cost you almost $920,000.
Ten minutes south of Celina, Prosper is a little closer to Dallas and Fort Worth.
“These neighboring towns [to Fort Worth–Dallas] offer a lot of new construction in all price ranges,” Cindy Allen, an agent in Southlake, Texas, told the Post.
In terms of raw number increases between July 2022 and July 2023, mid-sized Texas cities also took the cake.
San Antonio and Fort Worth each added more than 21,000 people during this period, while America’s largest city, New York, lost almost 78,000 inhabitants in 2023.