A study by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama released last week shows Madison as the fastest-growing city in the state, and is joined among the top 5 by Huntsville and Athens.
Madison, Athens, Huntsville all saw big population leaps in 2025
Research performed by PARCA on 2025 population growth throughout the state shows Madison and led all Alabama cities in growth over the past year. Madison added 4,157 residents while Huntsville saw a net gain of 3,280 in 2025. Together, the two cities have added almost 30,000 residents since 2020.
Athens added 1,582 new residents in 2025, placing the city as the fourth fastest-growing city in Alabama.
“As Huntsville continues to see job growth in technology, defense, government, and manufacturing, the city is well-positioned, thanks to its annexation strategy, to attract new movers. At the same time, Madison and nearby Athens continue to grow robustly. In fact, cities across the northern tier of the state seem to be benefiting from the surge.”…