Pennsylvania · 193 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in Pennsylvania, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
West Chester is the fastest-growing city of 5,000+ in Pennsylvania, +21.9% from 2020 to 2024. Gettysburg (+21.7%) is second.
- Fastest
- +21.9%
- Growing
- 99
- Shrinking
- 94
The 20 fastest-growing
West Chester grew fastest, from 18,663 in July 2020 to 22,758 in July 2024, +21.9%. It is the 25th largest of the 193 places ranked. 99 places grew and 94 shrank or held flat; the median change was +0.2%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Pittsburgh, +4,870 people. At the other end, Meadville changed by -5.1%. 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.
- 01West Chester+21.9%
- 02Gettysburg+21.7%
- 03Millersville+17.8%
- 04Edinboro+17.3%
- 05Kennett Square+13.1%
- 06Carlisle+11.8%
- 07Phoenixville+9.2%
- 08Easton+8.3%
- 09Mechanicsburg+7.7%
- 10Bridgeport+7.7%
- 11Emmaus+5.8%
- 12Downingtown+5.6%
- 13Lock Haven+5.4%
- 14Chambersburg+5.3%
- 15Collegeville+5.2%
- 16Bethlehem+4.9%
- 17Bloomsburg+4.6%
- 18New Freedom+4.5%
- 19Chester+4.2%
- 20Yeadon+3.1%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: West Chester, ranked first.
All 193 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Chester | 22,758 | +21.9% | Chester County |
| 2 | Gettysburg | 8,647 | +21.7% | Adams County |
| 3 | Millersville | 9,290 | +17.8% | Lancaster County |
| 4 | Edinboro | 5,814 | +17.3% | Erie County |
| 5 | Kennett Square | 6,713 | +13.1% | Chester County |
| 6 | Carlisle | 22,517 | +11.8% | Cumberland County |
| 7 | Phoenixville | 20,286 | +9.2% | Chester County |
| 8 | Easton | 30,432 | +8.3% | Northampton County |
| 9 | Mechanicsburg | 10,085 | +7.7% | Cumberland County |
| 10 | Bridgeport | 5,401 | +7.7% | Montgomery County |
| 11 | Emmaus | 12,314 | +5.8% | Lehigh County |
| 12 | Downingtown | 8,463 | +5.6% | Chester County |
| 13 | Lock Haven | 8,531 | +5.4% | Clinton County |
| 14 | Chambersburg | 23,041 | +5.3% | Franklin County |
| 15 | Collegeville | 5,308 | +5.2% | Montgomery County |
| 16 | Bethlehem | 79,453 | +4.9% | Northampton County +1 |
| 17 | Bloomsburg | 13,286 | +4.6% | Columbia County |
| 18 | New Freedom | 5,131 | +4.5% | York County |
| 19 | Chester | 34,052 | +4.2% | Delaware County |
| 20 | Yeadon | 12,405 | +3.1% | Delaware County |
| 21 | Oxford | 5,909 | +3.1% | Chester County |
| 22 | Elizabethtown | 11,993 | +2.8% | Lancaster County |
| 23 | Shippensburg | 5,638 | +2.8% | Cumberland County +1 |
| 24 | Archbald | 7,508 | +2.8% | Lackawanna County |
| 25 | Lititz | 9,733 | +2.7% | Lancaster County |
| 26 | Souderton | 7,274 | +2.5% | Montgomery County |
| 27 | Pittston | 7,743 | +2.2% | Luzerne County |
| 28 | Perkasie | 9,338 | +2.2% | Bucks County |
| 29 | Middletown | 9,748 | +2.1% | Dauphin County |
| 30 | Duryea | 5,142 | +2.1% | Luzerne County |
| 31 | Northampton | 10,587 | +2.1% | Northampton County |
| 32 | Old Forge | 8,654 | +2.0% | Lackawanna County |
| 33 | Indiana | 14,294 | +1.9% | Indiana County |
| 34 | Lewisburg | 5,253 | +1.9% | Union County |
| 35 | Columbia | 10,399 | +1.9% | Lancaster County |
| 36 | Catasauqua | 6,625 | +1.7% | Lehigh County |
| 37 | Lansdale | 19,154 | +1.7% | Montgomery County |
| 38 | Wyomissing | 11,292 | +1.7% | Berks County |
| 39 | Swoyersville | 5,092 | +1.7% | Luzerne County |
| 40 | Hanover | 16,728 | +1.7% | York County |
| 41 | Dunmore | 14,249 | +1.7% | Lackawanna County |
| 42 | Pittsburgh | 307,668 | +1.6% | Allegheny County |
| 43 | Exeter | 5,590 | +1.5% | Luzerne County |
| 44 | Steelton | 6,358 | +1.5% | Dauphin County |
| 45 | Hazleton | 30,354 | +1.5% | Luzerne County |
| 46 | Washington | 13,334 | +1.5% | Washington County |
| 47 | Camp Hill | 8,231 | +1.4% | Cumberland County |
| 48 | New Cumberland | 7,625 | +1.4% | Cumberland County |
| 49 | Brookhaven | 8,407 | +1.4% | Delaware County |
| 50 | Ambler | 6,900 | +1.3% | Montgomery County |
| 51 | Bristol | 9,982 | +1.3% | Bucks County |
| 52 | State College | 41,228 | +1.3% | Centre County |
| 53 | Lansdowne | 11,225 | +1.3% | Delaware County |
| 54 | West Hazleton | 5,231 | +1.2% | Luzerne County |
| 55 | Birdsboro | 5,163 | +1.2% | Berks County |
| 56 | Moosic | 6,018 | +1.2% | Lackawanna County |
| 57 | Shillington | 5,533 | +1.2% | Berks County |
| 58 | Hatboro | 8,341 | +1.1% | Montgomery County |
| 59 | Allentown | 127,138 | +1.1% | Lehigh County |
| 60 | Harrisburg | 50,649 | +1.1% | Dauphin County |
| 61 | Nanticoke | 10,730 | +1.1% | Luzerne County |
| 62 | Reading | 96,000 | +1.1% | Berks County |
| 63 | Plymouth | 5,810 | +1.1% | Luzerne County |
| 64 | Kingston | 13,476 | +1.1% | Luzerne County |
| 65 | Swarthmore | 6,596 | +1.0% | Delaware County |
| 66 | York | 45,241 | +1.0% | York County |
| 67 | Doylestown | 8,382 | +1.0% | Bucks County |
| 68 | Media | 5,938 | +1.0% | Delaware County |
| 69 | Norristown | 36,075 | +1.0% | Montgomery County |
| 70 | Conshohocken | 9,342 | +0.9% | Montgomery County |
| 71 | Wilkes-Barre | 44,661 | +0.9% | Luzerne County |
| 72 | Lancaster | 58,441 | +0.9% | Lancaster County |
| 73 | Nazareth | 6,088 | +0.8% | Northampton County |
| 74 | Schuylkill Haven | 5,273 | +0.8% | Schuylkill County |
| 75 | Collingdale | 8,956 | +0.7% | Delaware County |
| 76 | Palmerton | 5,634 | +0.7% | Carbon County |
| 77 | Ridley Park | 7,310 | +0.7% | Delaware County |
| 78 | Waynesboro | 11,101 | +0.7% | Franklin County |
| 79 | Red Lion | 6,552 | +0.6% | York County |
| 80 | Huntingdon | 6,857 | +0.6% | Huntingdon County |
| 81 | Mount Joy | 8,364 | +0.6% | Lancaster County |
| 82 | Glenolden | 7,266 | +0.6% | Delaware County |
| 83 | Norwood | 5,969 | +0.6% | Delaware County |
| 84 | West York | 5,127 | +0.5% | York County |
| 85 | Clifton Heights | 6,880 | +0.5% | Delaware County |
| 86 | Pottstown | 23,553 | +0.5% | Montgomery County |
| 87 | Tamaqua | 6,944 | +0.5% | Schuylkill County |
| 88 | Folcroft | 6,827 | +0.5% | Delaware County |
| 89 | Prospect Park | 6,452 | +0.5% | Delaware County |
| 90 | Clarks Summit | 5,089 | +0.5% | Lackawanna County |
| 91 | Sharon Hill | 6,039 | +0.5% | Delaware County |
| 92 | Darby | 10,749 | +0.5% | Delaware County |
| 93 | Pottsville | 13,404 | +0.5% | Schuylkill County |
| 94 | Olyphant | 5,397 | +0.4% | Lackawanna County |
| 95 | Coatesville | 13,390 | +0.4% | Chester County |
| 96 | Hellertown | 6,145 | +0.4% | Northampton County |
| 97 | Lehighton | 5,262 | +0.2% | Carbon County |
| 98 | Blakely | 6,659 | +0.2% | Lackawanna County |
| 99 | New Holland | 5,800 | +0.2% | Lancaster County |
| 100 | Berwick | 10,332 | -0.0% | Columbia County |
| 101 | Carbondale | 8,805 | -0.1% | Lackawanna County |
| 102 | Dickson City | 6,010 | -0.2% | Lackawanna County |
| 103 | Bangor | 5,171 | -0.3% | Northampton County |
| 104 | Scranton | 75,905 | -0.4% | Lackawanna County |
| 105 | Taylor | 6,252 | -0.4% | Lackawanna County |
| 106 | Williamsport | 27,628 | -0.4% | Lycoming County |
| 107 | Morrisville | 9,745 | -0.5% | Bucks County |
| 108 | Quakertown | 9,302 | -0.7% | Bucks County |
| 109 | Manheim | 5,011 | -0.7% | Lancaster County |
| 110 | Ephrata | 13,719 | -0.8% | Lancaster County |
| 111 | Wilson | 8,169 | -0.9% | Northampton County |
| 112 | Ambridge | 6,886 | -0.9% | Beaver County |
| 113 | Economy | 8,990 | -1.0% | Beaver County |
| 114 | Jefferson Hills | 12,291 | -1.1% | Allegheny County |
| 115 | Murrysville | 20,729 | -1.1% | Westmoreland County |
| 116 | Palmyra | 7,735 | -1.1% | Lebanon County |
| 117 | South Williamsport | 6,176 | -1.2% | Lycoming County |
| 118 | Lebanon | 26,456 | -1.2% | Lebanon County |
| 119 | Bellefonte | 5,986 | -1.2% | Centre County |
| 120 | Sayre | 5,394 | -1.2% | Bradford County |
| 121 | Greenville | 5,459 | -1.3% | Mercer County |
| 122 | Canonsburg | 9,601 | -1.5% | Washington County |
| 123 | Sunbury | 9,549 | -1.6% | Northumberland County |
| 124 | Grove City | 7,749 | -1.6% | Mercer County |
| 125 | Hollidaysburg | 5,537 | -1.7% | Blair County |
| 126 | Philadelphia | 1,573,916 | -1.7% | Philadelphia County |
| 127 | Lower Burrell | 11,542 | -1.7% | Westmoreland County |
| 128 | Mount Carmel | 5,626 | -1.8% | Northumberland County |
| 129 | Titusville | 5,155 | -1.9% | Crawford County |
| 130 | Latrobe | 7,906 | -1.9% | Westmoreland County |
| 131 | Milton | 6,483 | -1.9% | Northumberland County |
| 132 | Lewistown | 8,394 | -2.0% | Mifflin County |
| 133 | Stroudsburg | 5,819 | -2.0% | Monroe County |
| 134 | Oakmont | 6,628 | -2.0% | Allegheny County |
| 135 | Pleasant Hills | 8,318 | -2.0% | Allegheny County |
| 136 | Erie | 92,940 | -2.0% | Erie County |
| 137 | Shamokin | 6,787 | -2.0% | Northumberland County |
| 138 | Franklin | 5,933 | -2.2% | Venango County |
| 139 | Corry | 6,065 | -2.2% | Erie County |
| 140 | New Brighton | 5,517 | -2.2% | Beaver County |
| 141 | New Kensington | 11,877 | -2.2% | Westmoreland County |
| 142 | Jeannette | 8,566 | -2.3% | Westmoreland County |
| 143 | Greensburg | 14,586 | -2.3% | Westmoreland County |
| 144 | Monessen | 6,704 | -2.3% | Westmoreland County |
| 145 | Oil City | 9,368 | -2.3% | Venango County |
| 146 | East Stroudsburg | 9,445 | -2.3% | Monroe County |
| 147 | Castle Shannon | 8,094 | -2.3% | Allegheny County |
| 148 | Aliquippa | 9,003 | -2.4% | Beaver County |
| 149 | Whitehall | 14,678 | -2.4% | Allegheny County |
| 150 | Monroeville | 27,966 | -2.4% | Allegheny County |
| 151 | Hermitage | 15,839 | -2.5% | Mercer County |
| 152 | Beaver Falls | 8,757 | -2.5% | Beaver County |
| 153 | Monaca | 5,466 | -2.5% | Beaver County |
| 154 | DuBois | 7,302 | -2.6% | Clearfield County |
| 155 | New Castle | 21,332 | -2.6% | Lawrence County |
| 156 | Ellwood City | 7,416 | -2.6% | Lawrence County +1 |
| 157 | Altoona | 42,719 | -2.6% | Blair County |
| 158 | Plum | 26,420 | -2.7% | Allegheny County |
| 159 | Clearfield | 5,794 | -2.7% | Clearfield County |
| 160 | Tyrone | 5,312 | -2.7% | Blair County |
| 161 | Franklin Park | 15,079 | -2.7% | Allegheny County |
| 162 | Johnstown | 17,853 | -2.8% | Cambria County |
| 163 | St. Marys | 12,361 | -2.8% | Elk County |
| 164 | Warren | 9,125 | -2.9% | Warren County |
| 165 | Fox Chapel | 5,185 | -2.9% | Allegheny County |
| 166 | Somerset | 5,870 | -2.9% | Somerset County |
| 167 | Sharon | 12,744 | -2.9% | Mercer County |
| 168 | Punxsutawney | 5,587 | -3.2% | Jefferson County |
| 169 | Carnegie | 7,855 | -3.2% | Allegheny County |
| 170 | Duquesne | 5,074 | -3.3% | Allegheny County |
| 171 | McKeesport | 17,119 | -3.3% | Allegheny County |
| 172 | Bethel Park | 32,376 | -3.4% | Allegheny County |
| 173 | West Mifflin | 18,902 | -3.4% | Allegheny County |
| 174 | Butler | 13,010 | -3.5% | Butler County |
| 175 | White Oak | 7,352 | -3.6% | Allegheny County |
| 176 | Baldwin | 20,712 | -3.6% | Allegheny County |
| 177 | Forest Hills | 6,186 | -3.6% | Allegheny County |
| 178 | McKees Rocks | 5,694 | -3.6% | Allegheny County |
| 179 | Munhall | 10,371 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 180 | Selinsgrove | 5,501 | -3.7% | Snyder County |
| 181 | Bellevue | 7,996 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 182 | Clairton | 5,945 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 183 | Wilkinsburg | 13,800 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 184 | Coraopolis | 5,340 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 185 | Brentwood | 9,704 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 186 | Crafton | 5,863 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 187 | West View | 6,426 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 188 | Dormont | 7,922 | -3.7% | Allegheny County |
| 189 | Swissvale | 8,280 | -3.8% | Allegheny County |
| 190 | Bradford | 7,538 | -3.8% | McKean County |
| 191 | Uniontown | 9,554 | -4.2% | Fayette County |
| 192 | Connellsville | 6,682 | -4.8% | Fayette County |
| 193 | Meadville | 12,347 | -5.1% | Crawford County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in Pennsylvania?
West Chester, up 21.9% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 22,758 residents.
Which Pennsylvania city added the most people?
Pittsburgh, which gained 4,870 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many Pennsylvania cities are shrinking?
94 of 193 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.