There has been significant growth across the entire State of Alabama but Baldwin, Shelby and Limestone County lead the way. If you breakdown the growth to percentage for each town, Baldwin County has 4 of the top 10 in the State.

Columnist Mary Bernard recently analyzed growth across the region and found this year Alabama added nearly 25,000 new residents, which helped earn its rank of 20th fastest-growing state in the nation. Thanks to the 10 fastest-growing towns in Alabama, the state now has just more than five million residents total, increasing by 0.5% over last year.

So which towns are the fasting growing in Alabama? According to the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, three Alabama counties are home to eight of the fastest-growing towns in the state:

• Baldwin County is on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. Four of the fastest-growing cities in Alabama — Foley, Daphne, Gulf Shores, and Fairhope — are all located in Baldwin County.
• Limestone County is the fastest-growing county in Alabama. Athens and a portion of Madison are in Limestone County.
• Shelby County is in the middle of the state and part of the Birmingham-Hoover metro area. Chelsea and a portion of Calera are in Shelby County.

Here’s more about the ten fastest-growing towns in Alabama (with at least 10,000 people), ranked according to their rate of growth this year.

1. Pike Road - Taking top honors for the fastest-growing city in Alabama is Pike Road. Officially incorporated in 1997, Pike Road is part of Montgomery County. It grew by 707 residents this year, a 6.6% change.
2. Foley - Just barely missing the top spot for the fastest-growing town in Alabama, Foley grew by 6.5%, adding 1,525 residents this year. Foley is the fastest-growing town in Baldwin County, ranked second fastest-growing county in the state.
3. Athens - Experiencing a 5.5% change in growth, Athens, AL, takes the No. 3 spot on the list of fastest-growing cities in the state. Athens is the largest city in Limestone County, the fastest-growing county in the state. More than 28,000 residents now call Athens home.
4. Opelika - Opelika, AL, grew to almost 33,000 residents, which created a 3.6% change in growth. Named one of the Best Small Towns in the South, Opelika is located in Lee County. Opelika’s education system, affordability, and Southern hospitality appeal to newcomers.
5. Daphne - Our nearby friends experienced a 3.1% change in growth this year, bringing its population to number 29,670. Daphne tied for fifth place with Chelsea, a suburb of Birmingham.
6. Chelsea - Chelsea’s population changed by 502 residents, which was a 3.1% change in growth. Tied with Daphne, Chelsea is in Shelby County and was incorporated in 1996.
7. Gulf Shores - No longer a secret, waterfront fans find they can get more value for their money when they purchase real estate on the Gulf in Alabama rather than in Florida. Gulf Shores saw a 3% change in growth, with a population of 16,193.
8. Calera - The town straddles two counties in the middle of Alabama: Shelby and Chilton. Located within the Birmingham-Hoover metro area, Calera experienced a 2.7% change in population growth. It has almost 18,000 residents.
9. Madison - Located in the Huntsville metro area with almost 60,000 residents, Madison grew by 2.4%. It also ranks as the ninth-largest city in the state.
10. Fairhope - The fourth Baldwin County city to make the list of fastest-growing towns in Alabama (the others are Foley, Daphne, and Gulf Shores). Fairhope grew by 2.4% to a population of almost 24,000.