Posted on 11/28/2025 4:05:04 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
The mountain states of America hold within them some of the fastest growing towns in the country. Dreamy mountain towns like Leavenworth in Washington, Alpine in Wyoming, and Elizabeth in Colorado have always been among the top places for those who love the outdoors. Now, more and more folks are planning to go and never turn back.
The cost of living, moving closer family, and seeking a slower pace of life are top reasons people move to the more rural parts of the country. From idyllic mountain towns to high-desert hubs, we’ve narrowed down the ten outdoorsy towns with the fastest-growing populations.
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth, Washington, is a world-renown Christmas village with a population that just broke 3,000 residents, and is booming with new growth. Located in Chelan County, this cozy mountain town is growing at a rate of 4.71 percent each year, and has seen a nearly 30 percent increase since the most recent census was taken in 2020.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The projected population of Coeur d’Alene by the end of 2025 could be just over 57,955 residents. The metro area saw 4.1 percent growth between July 2020 and July 2021, and the city of Coeur d’Alene itself saw a 4.1 percent increase between April 2020 and July 2023. Coeur d’Alene is a gold mine for adventurers, with incredible kayaking opportunities, too many hiking trails to count, and of course, plenty of water for water sports.
Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, Montana, has a current population of 2,803 residents and is growing at a rate of 4.82 percent annually. The breathtaking mountain town, located in Flathead County, has grown by about 30 percent since 2020’s consensus. The median age in Kalispell is just 35 years old. The pace of life there is highly sought after, and attracts horse-lovers and nature enthusiasts alike with its ample opportunities for trail riding, as well as skiing and hiking. Must see: Of course, Glacier National Park, which contains 200 waterfalls, 700 lakes, and 700 miles of trails, is located 32 miles from town.
Alpine, Wyoming
The incredible town of Alpine in Wyoming, located on the southern end of Snake River Canyon, has a small, but mighty population of about 1,392 residents, and is growing at a rate of 2.35 percent each year. Its population has jumped 13.08 percent since the last consensus in 2020 and isn’t expected to slow down. The median age in Alpine is just 33-years-old, pointing to the still growing trend of remote work and quiet living. There is plenty to do outdoors, like boating, kayaking, white water rafting, hiking, skiing, and more.
Sundance, Utah
Have you heard of Sundance, Utah? Probably not. It’s not where the famous Sundance Film Festival is held, though it is close by. Sundance is a tiny, tiny town of just 56 people located in Utah County with a current growth rate of 7.27 percent. This hidden gem is a resort town in every sense of the term. The median age of its permanent residents is 60 years old, making it a great place to retire. Sundance is surrounded by Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, with a 360-degree view in every season, making it the perfect place to nestle in. People travel in to hike, mountain bike, and zipline, but the Sundance Mountain Resort is the biggest attraction in the town, with unreal skiing and snowboarding opportunities available.
Mesquite, Nevada
Mesquite, Nevada, located in Clark County, has a population of 24,346 residents, and is growing at a rate of 3.17 percent each year. Its population has increased by 18.14 percent since the most recent census, with its median age being 62 years old. Mesquite is attractive for those who love to explore national parks (Valley of Fire and Zion are close by), golf, and hike and bike. Must see: Explore Valley of Fire State Park near Mesquite, world renown for its 40,000 acres of stunning red rock formations and epic hiking trails.
Paradise, California
Paradise, California, located in Butte County, has a population of about 10,000 residents and is growing at a rate of 11.04 percent annually. The town has seen a 98.86 percent increase since 2020, with the median age of its residents landing at 60 years old. The deadly Camp Fire that blazed through Paradise in 2018 and 153,000 acres of land was the worst in the history of the state of California. Paradise is still rebuilding after most of its land was lost, yet the spirit of the small California town continues to attract new residents. Paradise is known for its mountain biking. Noble Orchards and the Butte Creek Watershed Overlook are within city limits. Lake Oroville is about 31 miles out of town, and Bidwell Park about 15 miles out.
Elizabeth, Colorado
Elizabeth, Colorado, is tiny town in Elbert County with a population of 3,036 people and a growth rate of 9.48 percent annually. Its population has grown 76.61 percent since 2020, when it was a town of just 1,719 residents. The median age in Elizabeth is only 32 years old. It’s a place reported to draw in millennials. For the outdoorsy person, this beautiful mountain town is ideal for hiking and horseback riding, with a close proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Show Low, Arizona
Show Low in the mountain state of Arizona has a population of 12,516 residents and is growing at a rate of 1.21 percent annually. Its population has bumped up 6.38 percent since the last consensus in 2020. Show Low is located in Navajo County and has a median age of 44 years old. It is located on the Mogollon Rim, which has an elevation of 6,345 feet. The top outdoor things to do in this town are: hiking the iconic Show Low Bluff Trail, boating and fishing around Fool Hollow Lake, and exploring the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
Barton, New Mexico
Barton, New Mexico, is a Census Designated Place in Bernalillo County, meaning it’s not a legally defined municipality with its own local government, but is populated enough to be its own community. Barton is located in eastern Bernalillo County and on the southwest corner of Santa Fe County. The town has a population of 1,923 residents and is growing at a rate of 7.19 percent each year. It’s grown 32.53 percent since 2020. The median age is 48. Close to Barton are the following attractions: White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks, the New Mexico Museum of Space History, and Sugarite Canyon State Park.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
And small towns in the Adirondacks, Smokey Mts., Blue Ridge Mts. etc. Anyway “fastest growing” kind of kills it for me. When this happens, so called “progress”, the towns lose their quaintness, their traditions, and their peace and quite.
Yep, Look at the LA basin and from the coastal plains to the mountains. But the mountains on the ocean side are higher, on the desert side their lower elevation because the desert floor is 3k to 4k or so high. Crazy geology.
PARADISE, CALIF BURNED TO THE GROUND A FEW YEARS AGO.
I live at 7500’ in New Mexico. When I visit my family on the Chesapeake, especially in the summer, it’s like breathing corn syrup through a straw.
New Mexico is wonderful.
Little towns with history and/or scenery are the answer. I do hate my mosquitoes however.
We’re actually renting a cabin for a few days in Lakeside-Pinetop after Christmas. It’s become a tradition in the last few yrs and it really helps our family recover from the Christmas craziness.
Couldn't agree more. I've been coming to the Coeur d'Alene area since about 1965. It used to be an honest living town with lumber, mining, railroads. Now some of those still exist, but it's lots of tourism now The country had 170 million people when we visited relatives back then. Now it's double the population. Ugh.
“it’s like breathing corn syrup through a straw”
LOL...good description and I know what you mean!
When I lived in Missouri, the sky was usually a pale, hazy whitish color. Nothing like the spectacular skies in the west.
Wonderful! I lived in a small A-Frame cabin by the Pinetop Country Club. The whole place was deserted during Christmas! Have fun! I’d love to go back for a visit. I visited about 20 years after I had lived there and was shocked at the growth and expansion everywhere.
No kidding. I can always tell when a movie was filmed in New Mexico by the skies.
I loved working at the range, it was a square mile of undeveloped high desert. Tons of wildlife, and history. And birds! Hawks, falcons, jays, pinion jays, western bluebirds, hummingbirds, owls, turkeys, sandhill cranes, crows, and the biggest most amazing ravens.
Speaking of the range, if you’re ever up in Montana, the “Bison Range” NW of Missoula is spectacular. It’s run by the Kootenai-Salish Confederated Tribes. Huge place, hundreds of bison roaming free. There’s a big loop road that heads over the top of mountain ridge and back into the valley. Long views all around from up top. Wonderful, out-of-the way spot.
There is some quaint little towns along the Delaware River in western Jersey. Milford, Frenchtown, Stockton, & Lambertville. Frenchtown is the one closest to us, with some great restaurants, scenery and shops. A few years ago the N.Y. Times did an article on the towns along the river. Now, on a Weekend the traffic is crazy, people walking in the street, double parking, and garbage cans overflowing onto the sidewalks. Forget about dining out or shopping there, too crowded even on rainy days.
He’s! That’s why we consider September the best month. Tourists are gone, traffic goes way down,weather is still nice and skies are blue, and leaves haven’t fallen yet. Ahhh…
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.