Several Northeast Georgia cities saw their populations double during the last decade, according to numbers released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Braselton, which stretches across Hall, Gwinnett, Jackson and Barrow counties, grew almost 300 percent. The population jumped from 1,882 in 2000 to 7,511 in 2010, making it the third fastest-growing incorporated area in the state.

"The population for Braselton, exceeding 7,500, confirms what we all expected," Mayor Bill Orr said. "A major indicator for us came in late 2009 as the town was named one of the nation's most recession-resilient cities."

City officials also tracked the population increase by monitoring permits, licenses and retail sales.

"Our challenge is to continue the high level of municipal services which our citizens appreciate and expect," Orr said.

Gainesville saw a 23 percent increase, but the biggest surge came in Flowery Branch with about 117 percent. The change from 2,621 people in 2000 to 5,679 in 2010 marks it as the 20th fastest-growing city in the state.

"I'm not surprised. It's a great place to live," said Melinda Blankenship, who has lived in Flowery Branch for seven years. "You can feel the growth, but it still has the feel of a little town. I call it Georgia's best kept secret."

Flowery Branch officials said they aren't surprised, either, especially as the town's land doubled in the last decade and saw the development of Sterling on the Lake, one of Hall's biggest subdivisions.

"It shows that people enjoy the quality of life in Flowery Branch, and the lack of congestion is a welcome relief from what they're finding in Gwinnett County," Mayor Mike Miller said. "So many people moving to Flowery Branch are transplants from Gwinnett who want a quality school system, good facilities and those extra things people look for in a community."

The development at the Stonebridge Village Shopping Center has helped population growth as well.

"When I came here, there were no subdivisions and Exit 12 was a small turn. The only stores off the exit were a BP and a Subway," said Lindsey Perkins, who has lived in Flowery Branch for 15 years. "For groceries, we had to go to the A&P in Oakwood. This was all pre-Sterling on the Lake and pre-Falcons in Flowery Branch."

City officials are now planning for the future with commercial and retail development, Miller said. Several larger retailers looked at land along Interstate 985 before the economic downturn.

"We have a couple of properties that, if you put them together, would be three Stonebridges," he said. "We hope that would develop on out and allow more tax money to stay in Flowery Branch and Hall County."

That type of development is what spurred growth at the beginning of the decade, Flowery Branch resident Mary Turner said.

"When the Mall of Georgia came, I immediately saw subdivisions just mushroom up everywhere," she said. "I moved from Norcross to get away from the hustle and bustle and liked the rural areas. It has slowed down here in the past three years, which is good in one way because it was growing too fast."

As the town continues to grow, Turner said she would like to see officials make planning decisions that retain the small-town charm.

"When you drive into Fair Hope, Ala., which is on the Gulf Coast, you see hanging baskets, landscaped areas and neat shops," she said. "They use their natural assets of the old buildings to maintain the beauty, and Flowery Branch could do that to preserve the town and make it inviting. People love little quaint towns."

Populations also increased more than 130 percent in Jefferson, from 4,079 to 9,432, and Dawsonville, from 1,059 to 2,536. As the economy begins to recover, city officials are preparing for another jump in numbers.

"The growth was better than I thought. We thought it would increase some; didn't think it would increase that much," Dawsonville Mayor Joe Lane Cox said. "There was a good bit of building in 2006 and 2007, and people just now found us out. We've been having inquiries about businesses, expansions and subdivisions lately, but I think everyone is just waiting on the economy."