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America's fastest-growing cities aren't seeing the fastest rent increases

Henry JoHenry Jo··
America's fastest-growing cities aren't seeing the fastest rent increases

Celina, Texas, north of Dallas, grew 24.6% between July 2024 and July 2025, faster than any other US city with at least 20,000 people, the US Census Bureau said in May. Typical rent there was $2,028 a month in August 2026, down 1.2% from a year earlier and 6.1% below its March 2023 peak, according to RentDataNow data.

The rest of the top five, all Texas suburbs, mostly look the same. Rent is down 1.6% in Fulshear, outside Houston, 1.3% in Princeton, and 0.6% in Anna. Melissa is the exception, up 1.2%. Across all 15 of the fastest-growing cities, typical rent rose 1.4% at the median, compared with 2.6% nationally, and it fell in five of them.

City

Population growth, 2024-2025

Typical rent, August 2026

Rent change in a year

Celina, TX

24.6%

$2,028

-1.2%

Fulshear, TX

21.0%

$2,124

-1.6%

Princeton, TX

18.1%

$1,980

-1.3%

Melissa, TX

14.5%

$1,818

+1.2%

Anna, TX

10.2%

$1,861

-0.6%

Haines City, FL

10.0%

$2,036

+1.4%

Waukee, IA

9.3%

$1,594

+3.4%

Forney, TX

8.5%

$2,008

-0.5%

Eagle Mountain, UT

8.5%

$2,236

+2.5%

Johnstown, CO

8.4%

$2,079

+1.7%

Kuna, ID

8.4%

$2,324

+5.2%

Queen Creek, AZ

8.2%

$2,190

+1.6%

Hutto, TX

7.9%

$1,753

+2.7%

Foley, AL

7.8%

$1,717

+6.2%

Greenville, TX

7.5%

$1,489

+1.2%

Outside Texas, the picture shifts. Rent in Foley, on the Alabama coast near Gulf Shores, is up 6.2%, the most of the 15, and Kuna, outside Boise, is up 5.2%. Both are at record highs, along with Waukee, outside Des Moines, and Queen Creek, outside Phoenix. Hutto, near Austin, is up 2.7% in a year but still 7.4% below its 2023 peak.

Charlotte added 20,731 residents, more than any other US city, followed by Fort Worth with 19,512 and San Antonio with 14,359. Rent hasn't moved much in any of them. Typical rent is up 1.0% in Charlotte, to $1,744, up 0.6% in Fort Worth, to $1,615, and down 1.4% in San Antonio, to $1,386.

Of the 15 cities with the biggest numeric gains, rent fell in four: San Antonio, Celina, Fulshear, and McKinney, which is down 1.8%. Only Atlanta, up 3.7%, rose faster than the national typical rent. The median change across the 15 was 0.7%. Even so, seven of them, Charlotte, Fort Worth, Seattle, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Columbus, and Port St. Lucie, are at record rents.

Growth figures here come from the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates, which cover the year through July 2025, while rent is as of August 2026. For more on the Dallas suburbs that dominate the list, see northern Dallas suburbs rent prices.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest-growing city in the US?

Celina, Texas, north of Dallas, grew 24.6% between July 2024 and July 2025, the fastest of any US city with at least 20,000 people, according to the Census Bureau. Charlotte added the most residents, 20,731.

Is rent going up in Celina, Texas?

No. Typical rent in Celina was $2,028 a month in August 2026, down 1.2% from a year earlier and 6.1% below its March 2023 peak, according to RentDataNow data built on the Zillow Observed Rent Index.

Does population growth raise rent?

Not always. Among the 15 fastest-growing US cities, typical rent rose just 1.4% at the median over the past year, slower than the 2.6% national pace, and it fell in five of them, all Texas suburbs.

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Henry Jo
Written by
Henry Jo
Housing Analyst

Henry Jo is a housing analyst covering rent data, affordability, city comparisons, and much more. He started following rental data while apartment hunting in two cities at once, and he lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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America's fastest-growing cities aren't seeing the fastest rent increases