8 Fastest Growing Small Towns in Texas in 2024 – Charming & Desirable
We have identified the fastest growing small towns in Texas that offer a great quality of life at a relaxed pace for those looking for a charming small town.
The romantic image of a cozy life in a small community is alive and well in Texas, so we looked through all the data and reviews to find the fastest growing small towns in Texas that have expanded the most since 2010.
We also made sure to find places that offer a high standard of living and enough amenities to make it worthwhile for you to relocate to.
Fastest Growing Small Towns in Texas – Methodology
First, we had to define what a “small town” is in Texas. So, we filtered our database to only include towns with a population of 10,000 people or less.
We also didn’t want them to be too small, so we set a minimum of 500 residents to make it onto this list of the fastest growing small towns in Texas.
Next, we had to determine what constitutes the “fastest growing.” So, we sorted all of our data on population growth based on the percentage change from 2010 to 2020.
Finally, we only wanted to include places that were actually desirable to live in, so we rated the towns based on several factors like:
- Cost of living
- Entertainment and amenities
- Availability of housing
- Quality of education
- Crime rates
- Proximity to bigger cities
- Overall livability
We tallied up all the scores and compared that with the population growth rates to arrive at our final rankings.
8 Fastest Growing Small Towns in Texas in 2023
8. Escobares, Texas
2010 Population: 1,188
2020 Population: 2,575
Growth Rate: +117%
Cost of Living Index: 23% Below Texas Average
Median Home Price: $85,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Escobares just makes it onto our list of the fastest growing small towns in Texas. It is located deep in the heart of South Texas and sits right on the US-Mexico border.
It is a bit different than most of the other towns on this list as it is one of the poorest cities in the entire nation.
However, the local government has been working tirelessly to improve conditions around town, which has led to its impressive growth over the past 10 years.
Escobares also offers the lowest cost of living on this list by far, with average home prices that are below $100,000.
7. Montgomery, Texas
2010 Population: 621
2020 Population: 1,360
Growth Rate: +119%
Cost of Living Index: 10% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $370,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Montgomery, Texas is a quaint little community that is situated about 1 hour northwest of Houston and only 30 minutes from The Woodlands, which we named the best place to live in all of Texas.
The town is right next to Lake Conroe, which is surrounded by lake resorts, golf clubs, and yacht clubs.
Meanwhile, you can find over 10 different gourmet restaurants and cafes around the town, which is a lot for such a small population.
Montgomery is also the smallest town on this list of the fastest growing small towns in Texas, which makes it a great choice for those looking for a really quiet environment.
6. McLendon-Chisholm, Texas
2010 Population: 1,373
2020 Population: 3,455
Growth Rate: +151%
Cost of Living Index: 42% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $680,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
This fast growing suburb of Dallas is located about 30 minutes east of Dallas and features several new upscale housing developments that are great for people looking for spacious living and lots of land.
It is also just 10 minutes from the lake, which also offers several yacht clubs for residents to enjoy.
McLendon-Chisholm is an excellent choice for those looking to be close to a big city but far enough away to enjoy the countryside and a lake.
5. Annetta, Texas
2010 Population: 1,288
2020 Population: 3,248
Growth Rate: +152%
Cost of Living Index: 19% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $498,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Annetta, Texas is an expanding town that is located 30 minutes west of Fort Worth.
It’s popularity has been growing, as it was recently rated the #1 place to live in Parker County by Niche.
This charming small town also offers great education, earning an A+ grade for its school system from Areavibes.
It is also close to other small towns like Aledo and Hudson Oaks, which both offer a larger commercial district that can come in handy.
4. Josephine, Texas
2010 Population: 812
2020 Population: 2,094
Growth Rate: +158%
Cost of Living Index: 9% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $290,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Josephine, Texas has more than doubled in size since 2010 due to its affordability and quiet, wholesome living.
It is located about 45 minutes northeast of Dallas and is one of the few towns on this list that features homes that cost under $300,000.
The town is known to be very peaceful and extremely quiet and is the ideal spot for people with a job in Dallas who are looking for some more space and a slower pace of life.
3. Iowa Colony, Texas
2010 Population: 1,170
2020 Population: 3,233
Growth Rate: +176%
Cost of Living Index: 8% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $408,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Iowa Colony, Texas is a suburb of Houston about 25 minutes south and provides the feeling of country living while still being close to the city.
The town features large expanses of farm land for those who prefer more space.
But, it is also right next to Highway 288, making it a very quick and easy commute to Houston and one of the best and fastest growing small towns in Texas around the Houston area.
2. Liberty Hill, Texas
2010 Population: 967
2020 Population: 2,931
Growth Rate: +203%
Cost of Living Index: 2% Below Texas Average
Median Home Price: $562,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
This popular small town is located about 40 minutes northwest of Austin and is well-known for its strong community spirit and charming small town atmosphere.
Liberty Hill also offers several local restaurants like Main Street Social, Agape BBQ, Liberty Hill Beer Market, and Farm to Fork. You won’t find such high quality dining options in many other small towns.
There is a bright future for this growing town as more and more folks from the Austin area have been relocating to it.
1. Dripping Springs, Texas
2010 Population: 1,788
2020 Population: 5,708
Growth Rate: +219%
Cost of Living Index: 23% Above Texas Average
Median Home Price: $868,000
Location: Check on Google Maps
Dripping Springs, Texas tops our list as the fastest growing small town in Texas. This booming family-friendly community has more than doubled in the last 10 years and features a small town center that is filled with locally-owned restaurants, bars with live music, and boutiques.
It is also well-known for its cluster of distilleries that are located around town, including Dripping Springs Vodka, Frog Pond Distillery, and Treaty Oak Distilling.
Dripping Springs, Texas offers a rural feeling with stunning landscapes of the Texas Hill Country, but with everything you need within the town.
It is also located just 30 minutes from Austin, which makes it quite convenient for commuters as well.
But, all of these great amenities will cost you as Dripping Springs has the highest home prices on this list of the fastest growing small towns in Texas.
It seems worth it though, since roughly 4,000 people have moved in since 2010.
Fastest Growing Small Towns in Texas – Summary
We hope that this list of the fastest growing small towns in Texas gives you a clear picture of where some small communities are expanding the most around the Lone Star State.
They all offer a picturesque, small town charm that you can only find in Texas while also providing enough things to do around town to make it easy to live in.
But don’t just take our word for it. Go visit some of these small towns and see if they are the right place for you to move to or not.
