Houston Suburbs Among Nation’s Fastest-Growing Areas

A new study by SmartAsset says that Atascocita and Conroe are two of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., and the Houston metro area continues to grow quickly. This rise shows that the region's suburban areas are still popular.

Atascocita is in the northeastern part of Harris County. From 2022 to 2023, it had the fifth most population rise in the country. That's an increase of about 12,000 people living in the census-designated place, which is an 11% growth rate year over year. In the last five years, Atascocita's population has grown by almost 40%, but only Buckeye, Arizona, has grown faster.

With a growth rate of 6.73% last year, Conroe in Montgomery County came in ninth. The number of people living in Conroe has grown by almost 25% in the last five years. Both places show how quickly the populations of Houston's suburbs and exurbs are growing.

The study makes the point that large increases in population affect local businesses and public services. SmartAsset's head of economic analysis, Jaclyn DeJohn, said, "The size of population change can affect the demand for businesses and services, which in turn may affect costs and availability."

Six of the top twenty towns in the study were in Texas. These included Pearland, which is known for having a high effective property tax rate, and New Braunfels, which was ranked second in the country for growth.

Houston's suburbs are growing quickly, but growth inside the city lines is staying the same. This is a sign of a more significant trend in Texas toward living in the suburbs.

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