your next place

5 Growing Counties Small Investors Should Watch

Growing, well-scored counties with moderate home values, from app data.

Updated October 2026 · Smart Movers Club research desk

Quick answer

By fastest population growth, the top five are Texas (+6.6%), Florida (+3.0%), North Carolina (+2.9%), Utah (+2.5%), Idaho (+2.5%). Rankings use the Smart Movers Club app's top-scoring places in each state; verify the specific city and county before you decide.

Ranked by: Fastest population growth
#StatePopulation changeHome valueRentGrowthPlaces to research
1Texas+6.6%$355,250$1,877+6.6%Celina, Sienna, Pecan Grove
2Florida+3.0%$434,050$1,973+3.0%Horizon West, Oakleaf Plantation, Keystone
3North Carolina+2.9%$437,150$1,706+2.9%Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville
4Utah+2.5%$549,350$1,721+2.5%Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Eagle Mountain
5Idaho+2.5%$368,100$1,321+2.5%Kuna, Meridian, Eagle
6Georgia+2.4%$336,800$1,680+2.4%Woodstock, Perry, Snellville
7Tennessee+2.2%$446,800$1,726+2.2%Spring Hill, Farragut, Mount Juliet
8South Carolina+2.2%$269,350$1,381+2.2%Fort Mill, Greer, Bluffton
9Arkansas+2.0%$248,500$1,007+2.0%Centerton, Bryant, Bentonville
10Oklahoma+2.0%$228,550$1,242+2.0%Yukon, Jenks, Bixby

Verdict factors to check before you decide

  1. 1Price the whole address: taxes, insurance, utilities and HOA, not just the listing.
  2. 2Confirm the exact city, county and school assignment for the address.
  3. 3Drive the commute at the hours you will actually travel.
  4. 4Check flood, heat and storm exposure on official maps.
  5. 5Compare crime at the jurisdiction level, then visit at night.

Frequently asked questions

5 Growing Counties Small Investors Should Watch

By fastest population growth, the top five are Texas (+6.6%), Florida (+3.0%), North Carolina (+2.9%), Utah (+2.5%), Idaho (+2.5%). Rankings use the Smart Movers Club app's top-scoring places in each state; verify the specific city and county before you decide.

Where does this data come from?

Figures come from the Smart Movers Club app, which compiles U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates and FBI state crime rates. Census figures are survey estimates, not live listing prices.

Go deeper

See every number for your next place.

Neighborhood heat maps, homes for sale, crime, schools, taxes and side-by-side comparisons for 50 states and 270+ cities — all in the Smart Movers Club app.

Go deeper — start your 3-day free trial
Smart Movers Club app neighborhood heat map

More in Move here or invest here?

Sources and method

Figures are medians across the top-scoring places the Smart Movers Club app tracks in each state, compiled from public data. Census values are survey estimates, not current listings; crime rates are state-level. This is research, not financial or legal advice.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.