This Charming Town Was Named America’s No. 1 Boomtown—With Jobs, a Historic Downtown, and Affordable Homes
This Charming Town Was Named America’s No. 1 Boomtown—With Jobs, a Historic Downtown, and Affordable Homes
Dobrina ZhekovaThu, October 1, 2026 at 11:06 AM UTC
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A brand new suburb neighborhood in Georgetown, Texas.Credit: RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images
With an abundance of new homes and new employees, one Texas community is leading the pack when it comes to “boomtowns” undergoing rapid growth.
The city of Georgetown, Texas, saw a 34 percent increase in both the number of new homes and new employees between 2019 and 2024, according to a report from SmartAsset published earlier this year. The company analyzed over 400 cities with populations of 65,000 or more, based on how fast they grew over five years in economic output, housing, and labor force.
Census data showed the population of Georgetown grew from about 67,000 in 2020 to over 106,000 in 2025, a 58.5 percent increase.
Set about 30 miles north of Austin, Georgetown dates back to the late 19th century when it was founded as an agricultural hub, according to the Texas State Historical Association. As the city grew, its historic charm drew newcomers, and it became one of the top retirement spots in the South. The city also boasts more reasonable housing costs compared to nearby Austin with the current average home value coming in at $420,930, per Zillow.
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Home to one of the Texas Commission on the Arts’ 61 designated cultural districts, Georgetown’s town square is billed as one of the most beautiful in the Lone Star State thanks to its historic red-brick buildings, which house boutique shops and restaurants. The town is also a favorite getaway among Texans for its abundance of green spaces as well as the 1,200-acre Lake Georgetown, offering boating, swimming, camping, and over 16 miles of hiking. Meanwhile, the annual Red Poppy Festival draws thousands of visitors each spring (Georgetown was nicknamed the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas” after the mother of a local resident planted seeds that he had sent her from Europe after WWI).
After Georgetown, another Texas city came in second place on SmartAsset’s ranking. New Braunfels, located near San Antonio, has welcomed tens of thousands of new residents in the past few years as its economy and real estate market have expanded.
Lehi, a suburb of Salt Lake City, came in at No. 3, with a labor force increase of 67 percent and housing unit growth of 39 percent. “Lehi’s population has nearly doubled since 2010 as major employers, including Adobe, Microsoft and Texas Instruments, have established or expanded facilities in the city,” SmartAsset noted.
However, the biggest winner was Florida, as the Sunshine State dominated the overall ranking with 19 “boomtowns” in total. Texas had the second most with 18.
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Source: “AOL Money”
