Prosper, Little Elm and Fate are taking DFW's growth by the horns.

Those three cities — each at least 30 miles outside of Downtown Dallas — are the fastest-growing cities in North Texas, census data analysis by the Dallas Business Journal shows. The DBJ looked at population changes from 2013 to 2017 in each DFW city larger than 10,000 people.

Prosper's population boomed 56% in that time frame, bringing it from 13,000 residents in 2013 to more than 20,000 last year. Windsong Ranch, 2,030 acres that will include 3,100 single-family homes and 150 acres of mixed-use, sold this year and is continuing development to provide opportunities for further growth.

Little Elm grew 40%, bringing it to 33,000 residents, and Fate rose 37.4%. Anna and Princeton round out the top five fastest-growing cities in North Texas. Frisco and McKinney were the only two cities in the top 10 that had a population of more than 35,000.

The trend belies some of the national thinking that residents are abandoning suburbs for urban cores. Though downtown submarkets and other urbanizing areas are revitalizing and thriving, this data shows it isn't entirely at the expense of farther-out areas. Residents in Plano are also voicing their desire for true suburban living rather than a dense urban environment — D Magazine's December issue lays out a tense legal battle there between forces of urbanization and residents who want a suburban feel.