The past several years of U.S. Census Bureau statistics have shown that many of the fastest-growing populations are found in Western and Southeastern states. Given the trend, it comes as no surprise that the fast-growing Sunbelt states also boast many of America's fastest-growing metro areas. What may come as a surprise, however, are some of the smaller cities that made the list, Mobile and Huntsville, Alabama, to name just two.

Here are America's fastest-growing large and small metropolitan areas, according to Forbes.com:

Large Metro Areas:

1. Austin, Texas

2. Cape Coral-Ft. Myers, Fla.

3. Atlanta, Ga.

4. Seattle, Wash.

5. San Francisco, Calif.

6. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas

7. San Jose, Calif.

8. Houston, Texas

9. Orlando, Fla.

10. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.

Small Metro Areas:

1. Mobile, Ala.

2. Texarkana, Texas/Ark.

3. Palm Coast, Fla.

4. Huntsville, Ala.

5. Prescott, Ariz.

6. Auburn-Opelika, Ala.

7. St. George, Utah

8. Port St. Lucie, Fla.

9. Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.

10. Naples-Marco Island, Fla.

To compile the lists, Forbes.com looked at all of the country's 363 metropolitan areas, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a geographic region with a "core urban area" of at least 50,000 people. To show growth in both large and small metro areas, researchers split the group into two classes: largest 100 metro areas (those with at least 528,000 people) and all others.

Selling The Home On A Busy Street

Your home is great inside and out. There's only one problem: That busy road that runs past your doorstep. Living on a busy street is not for everyone. However, a determined seller, working with an equally determined real estate agent who knows the neighborhood, can find a buyer that will love the home and its location, traffic and all.  You'll want to make sure to:

Attract the right crowd. Since many buyers, particularly those with children, will not look twice at a home on a busy street, consider targeting your marketing efforts toward single buyers and couples without children.

Point out the positives. If you're on a busy street, you may be a stone's throw from the nearest rail station, bus stop or airport (a definite plus for frequent travelers!). Your home may also be close to a major work center, and that busy street provides the easiest commute. Perhaps your home is in the city's historic district—a great selling point for history lovers and preservationists.

Make your home a haven. Are there things you can do to your property to downplay its proximity to the busy street? Consider adding decorative fencing, or planting shrubs or trees that not only look nice but provide some privacy, too.