A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
An analysis from GoodMigrations reveals which U.S. cities have changed the most in the last five years. The criteria include “population, income, jobs, home values, and new jobs created from new businesses over the past five years.”
The top five most changed cities are Boise City, Idaho; Provo, Utah; Lakeland, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Huntsville, Alabama. According to the article, “All the most-changed cities saw change in the form of rapid growth: increasing economic activity, elevating salaries, and gaining newcomers.” Austin had the highest population increase among cities with the strongest GDP, and added 25 percent more employed persons.
Eight of the top 10 cities were in the U.S. South. Four of the 10 least changed cities, meanwhile, are in Louisiana. “This seeming contradiction suggests that growth and prosperity in the South are not equally distributed, with some metros reaping the lion’s share of jobs, newcomers, and overall prosperity, leaving other cities in the region to stagnate at disproportionately high rates.”
FULL STORY: America’s Most Changed Cities: The Cities That Changed the Most in 5 Years
Texas, Florida Saw Most Growth in 2021, Says U-Haul
Based on an index comparing inbound and outbound moving truck rentals, Texas had the largest population growth in the United States in 2021, while California and Illinois saw the biggest losses.
Rural Population Grew Again in 2024
Americans continued to move to smaller towns and cities, resulting in a fourth straight year of growth in rural areas.
Small Towns Grow Faster Than Cities for First Time in Decades
Cities of 4 million or more people lost 600,000 residents to domestic migration.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service