Nevada’s modern boomtowns are these fast-growing cities, study said

Nevada’s history as a mining and entertainment state has made it synonymous with boomtowns. Perhaps more than any other state, cities in Nevada can feel like they practically explode overnight (like Las Vegas) and at times are abandoned as quickly as they were inhabited (like the state’s many ghost towns)

SmartAsset, a financial technology company, said in a recent report that Nevada is still home to several boomtowns. SmartAsset defines as cities that “stand out for attracting people, investment and development at a pace that sets them apart.”

“Boomtown status does not mean growth benefits everyone equally, but it does reflect a city’s expanding economic capacity and the new opportunities that come with it,” wrote SmartAsset.

The list was compiled by analyzing more than 400 U.S. cities with populations of 65,000 or more. Each city received a score based on five-year changes in three factors: economic output, housing units and labor force size. Four Nevada cities landed in the 75 highest-scoring cities, which SmartAsset said represent America’s new boomtowns.

Here’s what else to know.

Nevada is home to these four ‘boomtowns,’ according to Smart Asset

North Las Vegas was the highest-ranked Nevada city on the list, at No. 39. It had a 21% increase in housing units, a 24% increase in the labor force, and a compound annual real GDP growth rate of 3.5%.

Nevada’s runner-up was Sparks at No. 53, which saw housing units grow by 16%, labor force increase by 14%, and a 3.8% compound annual GDP growth rate.

Henderson followed at No. 63, posting a 13% increase in housing units, an 18% rise in labor force, and a 3.5% annual GDP growth rate.

Reno came in last among Nevada cities on the list at No. 66, with housing units up 14%, a labor force increase of 11%, and a 3.8% compound annual GDP growth rate.

Methodology

In order to determine the country’s boomtowns, Smart Asset looked at U.S. cities with populations of more than 65,000.

Each city was scored across three metrics: five-year labor force change, five-year housing unit change, and county-level compound annual real GDP growth.

Changes in the labor force (which includes residents ages 16 and older who are employed or actively seeking work) and in housing units were calculated using 2019 and 2024 ACS data.

Real GDP growth was calculated using Bureau of Economic Analysis data for 2019 and 2024; county-level real GDP was used as a proxy for city-level economic output.

Cities were assigned composite scores based on the three metrics and ranked accordingly.

America’s top 10 boomtowns

According to SmartAsset, these are the top 10 boomtowns in the U.S. in 2026:

1. Georgetown, Texas
2. New Braunfels, Texas
3. Lehi, Utah
4. Leander, Texas
5. Lewisville, Texas
6. Palm Coast, Florida
7. Nampa, Idaho
8. McKinney, Texas
9. Conroe, Texas
10. Frisco, Texas

Diana Leyva with The Tennessean contributed to this report.