Watch Video Showing Growth of Branson, Missouri From 1984 to Now

It's not exactly breaking news that Branson, Missouri has grown a lot over the past few decades. However, it's still startling to see a time-lapse video showing the city's growth as shown by Google Maps. It's quite an eye-opener to see how little Branson has grown to what it is today.

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According to University of Missouri population statistics, Branson had a population of 2,550 in 1980. Wikipedia now estimates that population is now over 14,000. The story of Branson, however, isn't really the population as much as it is the growth of entertainment businesses around the town to accommodate the many visitors. That's really what this new time-lapse share on YouTube shows. It's Branson as it appeared in 1984 through 2020 going year-by-year.

There aren't many videos of Branson back in the 1980's, but I did find a throwback 1990's tourism video which is the decade when the area really began to explode with growth.

Compare that to a drive-through of Branson, Missouri now and you'll find theaters, restaurants and hotels everywhere.

Some see this growth as progress for Branson as it now brings in millions of dollars of revenue from tourists every year. Others will fondly remember the days when you could vacation with family in Branson with less crowds. No matter which side you find yourself on, there's no denying the southwestern part of Missouri has changed massively over the past 38 years.