This article is about boomtowns in human geography. For other uses of the term, see Boomtown (disambiguation).

A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing for different reasons, such as a proximity to a major metropolitan area or a popular ski resort. The gold rush of the American Southwest is the most famous example of boomtown creation.

Boomtowns are typically characterized by "overnight expansions" in both population and money as people stream into the community for high-paying jobs, mining prospects, attractive amenities, or other opportunities. Typically, newcomers are drawn by high salaries and numerous indirect businesses develop to cater to these workers often eager to spend their large paychecks. Often, boomtowns are the site of both economic prosperity and negative social disruption as the local community culture and infrastructure struggles to acccomodate the waves of new residents.

Boomtowns are typically extremely dependent on the single activity or resource that is causing the expansion (e.g. nearby mine or resort), and when the resources are depleted or the resource economy “busts”, boomtowns can often decrease in size as fast as they initially grew. Sometimes, everyone would desert the town, resulting in a ghost town.

See also

Gillette Syndrome

Jeffrey City, Wyoming

Economic history of the United States | Towns

Boomtown