Meridian was ranked the 6th fastest growing city in the nation at 48.3 percent growth in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates released May 21, 2020. 

Meridian was also Idaho’s fastest-growing city with a population increase of 7,700 and it continues to be the second largest city in the state for the third year with a population of 129,600, the release said.

Boise remains the largest city with a population of 229,993.

According to the release, 90 percent, or 181, of Idaho’s cities experienced population gains over the year while six Idaho communities lost population. The population losses were small with American Falls experiencing the largest drop of 37 people. The remaining 19 communities saw no change. There were only 48 cities that experienced growth greater than or equal to the state’s growth rate of 2.2 percent.

In Idaho 3.5 percent of the cities had a population of more than 50,000 — Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Caldwell and Coeur d’Alene — while nationwide only 3.9 percent of all incorporated cities had a population of greater than 50,000.