Alabama · 107 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in Alabama, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
- Fastest
- +42.4%
- Growing
- 70
- Shrinking
- 37
The 20 fastest-growing
Loxley grew fastest, from 3,636 in July 2020 to 5,176 in July 2024, +42.4%. It is the 106th largest of the 107 places ranked. 70 places grew and 37 shrank or held flat; the median change was +1.7%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Huntsville, +14,023 people. At the other end, Selma changed by -8.5%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Loxley+42.4%
- 02Foley+34.3%
- 03Margaret+28.2%
- 04Athens+26.6%
- 05Semmes+20.5%
- 06Pike Road+20.2%
- 07Odenville+15.2%
- 08Fairhope+14.7%
- 09Gulf Shores+13.5%
- 10Chelsea+13.5%
- 11Robertsdale+12.8%
- 12Lincoln+12.8%
- 13Opelika+12.7%
- 14Springville+12.3%
- 15Madison+11.7%
- 16Calera+11.5%
- 17Daphne+11.0%
- 18Cullman+9.6%
- 19Spanish Fort+9.4%
- 20Headland+9.1%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Loxley, ranked first.
All 107 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loxley | 5,176 | +42.4% | Baldwin County |
| 2 | Foley | 28,043 | +34.3% | Baldwin County |
| 3 | Margaret | 6,654 | +28.2% | St. Clair County |
| 4 | Athens | 32,587 | +26.6% | Limestone County |
| 5 | Semmes | 6,193 | +20.5% | Mobile County |
| 6 | Pike Road | 11,500 | +20.2% | Montgomery County |
| 7 | Odenville | 5,711 | +15.2% | St. Clair County |
| 8 | Fairhope | 26,044 | +14.7% | Baldwin County |
| 9 | Gulf Shores | 17,431 | +13.5% | Baldwin County |
| 10 | Chelsea | 17,293 | +13.5% | Shelby County |
| 11 | Robertsdale | 7,613 | +12.8% | Baldwin County |
| 12 | Lincoln | 7,790 | +12.8% | Talladega County |
| 13 | Opelika | 35,005 | +12.7% | Lee County |
| 14 | Springville | 5,392 | +12.3% | St. Clair County |
| 15 | Madison | 64,029 | +11.7% | Madison County +1 |
| 16 | Calera | 18,530 | +11.5% | Shelby County +1 |
| 17 | Daphne | 30,751 | +11.0% | Baldwin County |
| 18 | Cullman | 20,239 | +9.6% | Cullman County |
| 19 | Spanish Fort | 11,118 | +9.4% | Baldwin County |
| 20 | Headland | 5,429 | +9.1% | Henry County |
| 21 | Auburn | 83,757 | +8.7% | Lee County |
| 22 | Pell City | 14,094 | +8.6% | St. Clair County |
| 23 | Tuscaloosa | 114,288 | +8.2% | Tuscaloosa County |
| 24 | Guntersville | 9,242 | +7.6% | Marshall County |
| 25 | Montevallo | 7,761 | +7.4% | Shelby County |
| 26 | Rainsville | 5,931 | +7.3% | DeKalb County |
| 27 | Enterprise | 30,731 | +6.6% | Coffee County +1 |
| 28 | Huntsville | 230,402 | +6.5% | Madison County +2 |
| 29 | Muscle Shoals | 17,409 | +6.3% | Colbert County |
| 30 | Prattville | 40,139 | +6.1% | Autauga County +1 |
| 31 | Orange Beach | 8,599 | +5.8% | Baldwin County |
| 32 | Arab | 8,918 | +5.6% | Marshall County +1 |
| 33 | Clanton | 9,228 | +5.4% | Chilton County |
| 34 | Florence | 42,716 | +5.2% | Lauderdale County |
| 35 | Millbrook | 17,392 | +5.2% | Elmore County +1 |
| 36 | Helena | 22,200 | +5.2% | Shelby County +1 |
| 37 | Wetumpka | 7,667 | +4.9% | Elmore County |
| 38 | Pelham | 25,396 | +4.7% | Shelby County |
| 39 | Bay Minette | 8,505 | +4.7% | Baldwin County |
| 40 | Albertville | 23,392 | +4.3% | Marshall County |
| 41 | Hartselle | 16,201 | +4.0% | Morgan County |
| 42 | Boaz | 10,473 | +3.6% | Marshall County +1 |
| 43 | Trussville | 27,079 | +3.3% | Jefferson County +1 |
| 44 | Alabaster | 34,460 | +3.2% | Shelby County |
| 45 | Moody | 13,596 | +2.8% | St. Clair County |
| 46 | Smiths Station | 5,583 | +2.8% | Lee County |
| 47 | Scottsboro | 15,957 | +2.5% | Jackson County |
| 48 | Jacksonville | 14,651 | +2.4% | Calhoun County |
| 49 | Roanoke | 5,424 | +2.0% | Randolph County |
| 50 | Tuscumbia | 9,222 | +1.9% | Colbert County |
| 51 | Leeds | 12,573 | +1.9% | Jefferson County +2 |
| 52 | Homewood | 27,919 | +1.9% | Jefferson County |
| 53 | Satsuma | 6,874 | +1.7% | Mobile County |
| 54 | Southside | 9,633 | +1.7% | Etowah County +1 |
| 55 | Decatur | 57,974 | +1.5% | Morgan County +1 |
| 56 | Oneonta | 7,039 | +1.4% | Blount County |
| 57 | Saraland | 16,458 | +1.3% | Mobile County |
| 58 | Rainbow City | 10,349 | +1.3% | Etowah County |
| 59 | Fort Payne | 15,017 | +1.0% | DeKalb County |
| 60 | Northport | 31,492 | +0.9% | Tuscaloosa County |
| 61 | Dothan | 71,650 | +0.8% | Houston County +2 |
| 62 | Irondale | 13,545 | +0.5% | Jefferson County |
| 63 | Troy | 17,734 | +0.4% | Pike County |
| 64 | Hoover | 93,013 | +0.3% | Jefferson County +1 |
| 65 | Hamilton | 6,944 | +0.3% | Marion County |
| 66 | Gardendale | 16,444 | +0.3% | Jefferson County |
| 67 | Glencoe | 5,396 | +0.3% | Etowah County +1 |
| 68 | Ozark | 14,368 | +0.2% | Dale County |
| 69 | Jasper | 14,561 | +0.2% | Walker County |
| 70 | Oxford | 22,088 | +0.0% | Calhoun County +1 |
| 71 | Sheffield | 9,335 | -0.5% | Colbert County |
| 72 | Opp | 6,706 | -0.6% | Covington County |
| 73 | Clay | 10,241 | -0.7% | Jefferson County +1 |
| 74 | Phenix City | 38,509 | -0.8% | Russell County +1 |
| 75 | Atmore | 8,310 | -0.8% | Escambia County |
| 76 | Russellville | 10,736 | -1.2% | Franklin County |
| 77 | Andalusia | 8,728 | -1.3% | Covington County |
| 78 | Attalla | 5,746 | -1.4% | Etowah County |
| 79 | Pleasant Grove | 9,375 | -1.7% | Jefferson County |
| 80 | Anniston | 21,127 | -1.8% | Calhoun County |
| 81 | Pinson | 7,781 | -2.0% | Jefferson County |
| 82 | Birmingham | 196,357 | -2.0% | Jefferson County +1 |
| 83 | Montgomery | 195,818 | -2.1% | Montgomery County |
| 84 | Fultondale | 9,325 | -2.1% | Jefferson County |
| 85 | Gadsden | 33,086 | -2.3% | Etowah County |
| 86 | Brewton | 5,129 | -2.4% | Escambia County |
| 87 | Vestavia Hills | 38,151 | -2.5% | Jefferson County +1 |
| 88 | Mobile | 201,367 | -2.5% | Mobile County |
| 89 | Prichard | 18,778 | -2.6% | Mobile County |
| 90 | Alexander City | 14,439 | -2.6% | Tallapoosa County |
| 91 | Valley | 10,144 | -2.7% | Chambers County |
| 92 | Talladega | 14,693 | -3.0% | Talladega County |
| 93 | Chickasaw | 6,241 | -3.3% | Mobile County |
| 94 | Lanett | 6,704 | -3.3% | Chambers County |
| 95 | Sylacauga | 12,123 | -3.4% | Talladega County |
| 96 | Monroeville | 5,720 | -3.5% | Monroe County |
| 97 | Hueytown | 16,185 | -3.6% | Jefferson County |
| 98 | Mountain Brook | 21,701 | -3.6% | Jefferson County |
| 99 | Bessemer | 25,079 | -3.6% | Jefferson County |
| 100 | Eufaula | 12,363 | -3.9% | Barbour County |
| 101 | Center Point | 15,603 | -4.4% | Jefferson County |
| 102 | Fairfield | 9,524 | -4.6% | Jefferson County |
| 103 | Tarrant | 5,806 | -4.9% | Jefferson County |
| 104 | Greenville | 6,983 | -5.1% | Butler County |
| 105 | Demopolis | 6,724 | -5.9% | Marengo County |
| 106 | Tuskegee | 8,653 | -7.4% | Macon County |
| 107 | Selma | 16,312 | -8.5% | Dallas County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in Alabama?
Loxley, up 42.4% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 5,176 residents.
Which Alabama city added the most people?
Huntsville, which gained 14,023 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many Alabama cities are shrinking?
37 of 107 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.