A new ranking of America’s Fastest-Growing Suburbs and the salaries needed to afford them shows that Arizona’s desert boomtowns are turning into some of the country’s most sought‑after addresses—where rapid in‑migration is bumping up against rising home values and bigger income needs.

MoneyLion analyzed U.S. Census data alongside average home values from Zillow and cost-of-living estimates from national expenditure and mortgage data to calculate what residents need to earn to live comfortably in each community.

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Arizona key findings from the study

  • Arizona suburbs highlighted in the ranking include Buckeye (#20), Maricopa (#33), Goodyear (#40) and Coolidge (#49)—each posting five-year population gains of roughly 31% to 50% as growth pushes outward from the state’s major metros.
  • Buckeye’s population grew 50.4% in five years—from 69,744 residents in 2019 to 104,923 in 2024—with a median household income of $99,486, an average home value of $396,581 and an estimated annual cost of living of $52,615.
  • Coolidge stands out nationally as one of only four suburbs where you can live comfortably on under about $75,000 a year, with a median household income of $67,023, an average home value of $272,141 and an estimated annual cost of living of $42,210.

Key national findings

  • The five fastest-growing suburbs have experienced five-year population booms of 100% or greater. They are Fulshear, Texas (252%); Celina, Texas (208.3%); Wildwood, Florida (157.5%); Princeton, Texas (132.6%); and Melissa, Texas (112.3%).
  • Texas boasts 15 fastest-growing suburbs, the most of any state: Fulshear (#1), Celina (#2), Princeton (#4), Melissa (#5), Manor (#7), Anna (#8), Fate (#10), Royse City (#17), Forney (#24), Glenn Heights (#26), Hutto (#30), Leander (#35), Red Oak (#39), Kyle (#44) and Midlothian (#46).
  • Florida and Utah tied after Texas with seven suburbs apiece. In Florida, they are Wildwood (#3), Groveland (#14), Panama City Beach (#22), Haines City (#25), Leesburg (#36), Clermont (#42) and Doral (#48). The seven fastest-growing Utah suburbs include Saratoga Springs (#11), Eagle Mountain (#12), West Haven (#16), Herriman (#23), Bluffdale (#29), Lehi (#43) and Hurricane (#47).
  • You can live comfortably in four suburbs for under $75,000 annually: Lebanon, Tennessee ($72,848); Coolidge, Arizona ($67,023); Haines City ($65,975) and Leesburg ($52,880).
  • You need to earn $170,000+ to reside in Celina and Fulshear, the two fastest-growing Texas suburbs. The median household income is $170,894 in Celina and $187,035 in Fulshear.

Top 5 fastest-growing suburbs

1. Fulshear, Texas

  • Total population (2019): 9,906
  • Total population (2024): 34,868
  • 5-year population change (%): 252%
  • Median household income: $187,035
  • Average home value: $505,439
  • Total cost of living annually: $61,196

2. Celina, Texas

  • Total population (2019): 11,116
  • Total population (2024): 34,268
  • 5-year population change (%): 208.3%
  • Median household income: $170,894
  • Average home value: $548,113
  • Total cost of living annually: $61,415

3. Wildwood, Florida

  • Total population (2019): 6,838
  • Total population (2024): 17,608
  • 5-year population change (%): 157.5%
  • Median household income: $76,552
  • Average home value: $296,553
  • Total cost of living annually: $43,515

4. Princeton, Texas

  • Total population (2019): 10,846
  • Total population (2024): 25,229
  • 5-year population change (%): 132.6%
  • Median household income: $105,200
  • Average home value: $295,687
  • Total cost of living annually: $44,463

5. Melissa, Texas

  • Total population (2019): 9,487
  • Total population (2024): 20,136
  • 5-year population change (%): 112.3%
  • Median household income: $138,763
  • Average home value: $435,108
  • Total cost of living annually: $53,763

Fastest-growing Arizona suburbs

Here are the fastest-growing Arizona suburbs, with their national rankings:

20. Buckeye, Arizona

  • Total population (2019): 69,744
  • Total population (2024): 104,923
  • 5-year population change (%): 50.4%
  • Median household income: $99,486
  • Average home value: $396,581
  • Total cost of living annually: $52,615

33. Maricopa, Arizona

  • Total population (2019): 48,629
  • Total population (2024): 67,163
  • 5-year population change (%): 38.1%
  • Median household income: $96,391
  • Average home value: $345,104
  • Total cost of living annually: $48,182

40. Goodyear, Arizona

  • Total population (2019): 80,371
  • Total population (2024): 107,645
  • 5-year population change (%): 33.9%
  • Median household income: $103,319
  • Average home value: $470,145
  • Total cost of living annually: $57,301

49. Coolidge, Arizona

  • Total population (2019): 12,685
  • Total population (2024): 16,636
  • 5-year population change (%): 31.2%
  • Median household income: $67,023
  • Average home value: $272,141
  • Total cost of living annually: $42,210