Boomburb is a neologism principally promoted by American Robert E. Lang of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech for a large, rapidly growing city in the United States that remains essentially suburban in character, even as it reaches populations more typical of urban core cities. It describes a relatively recent phenomenon in a United States context.

Definition

Boomburbs are defined as incorporated places in the top 50 Metropolitan areas in the United States of more than 100,000 residents, but that are not the core cities in their metropolitan areas and have maintained double-digit rates of population growth (10% or more) over consecutive censuses between 1970 and 2000.^[1]

As of the 2000 Census, the United States contained 54 boomburbs, which accounted for about half of the 1990s growth in cities with between 100,000 and 500,000 residents.^[2]

List of boomburbs

Robert E. Lang of Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech lists 54 boomburbs as following:^[3]
^Not on Robert E. Lang's original list.

• Arizona
  • Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Scottsdale, Tempe
• California
  • Anaheim, Chula Vista, Corona, Costa Mesa, Daly City, Escondido, Fontana, Fremont, Fullerton, Irvine, Lancaster, Moreno Valley, Oceanside, Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Palmdale, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Santa Rosa, Simi Valley, Sunnyvale, Temecula^, Thousand Oaks
• Colorado
  • Aurora, Arvada^, Lakewood, Thornton^, Westminster
• Florida
  • Clearwater, Coral Springs, Davie^, Hialeah, Miramar^, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach^
• Kansas
  • Olathe^, Overland Park^
• Illinois
  • Aurora^, Elgin^, Joliet^, Naperville, Schaumburg^
• Michigan
  • Warren^, Sterling Heights^, Livonia^
• Nevada
  • Henderson, North Las Vegas
• Oregon
  • Hillsboro^, Gresham^
• Texas
  • Allen^, Arlington, Carrollton, Frisco^, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, McKinney^, Mesquite, Pasadena^, Pearland^, Plano, Richardson^, Round Rock^, Sugar Land^
• Utah
  • West Jordan^, West Valley City
• Washington
  • Bellevue, Everett^, Kent^, Renton^, Vancouver^
• Other States
  • Meridian, Idaho^; Cary, North Carolina^; Rio Rancho, New Mexico^; Chesapeake, Virginia

The boomburbs listed above are based on the populations of cities determined by and definitions of metropolitan areas used in the 2000 Census. Boomburbs have occurred mostly in the Southwest, with nearly half developing in areas of central and southern California.