What are the fastest-growing metro areas in Alabama?
Huntsville, AL (+12.5%), Auburn-Opelika, AL (+7.1%) and Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL (+3.5%) grew fastest among Alabama metro areas between 2020 and 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 9 ranked Alabama metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Change 2020–25 | People added | Residents 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntsville, AL | +12.5% | +61,736 | 556,444 |
| 2 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | +7.1% | +13,711 | 208,013 |
| 3 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +3.5% | +5,271 | 156,609 |
| 4 | Dothan, AL | +3.4% | +5,090 | 156,266 |
| 5 | Tuscaloosa, AL | +2.9% | +7,821 | 281,850 |
| 6 | Decatur, AL | +2.5% | +3,920 | 160,326 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | +1.4% | +15,965 | 1,197,766 |
| 8 | Montgomery, AL | +0.9% | +3,341 | 388,747 |
| 9 | Columbus, GA-AL | −1.3% | −4,365 | 324,830 |
How this is ranked
The percentage change in the Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates between 2020 and 2025, with the number of people added. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
Which metro area in Alabama is growing fastest?
Huntsville, AL: +12.5%, ahead of Auburn-Opelika, AL (+7.1%) and Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL (+3.5%), of 9 Alabama metro areas ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
The percentage change in the Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates between 2020 and 2025, with the number of people added. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.