This article systematically reviews and synthesizes English-language literature from the past four decades to explore the interplay between rapid population growth (RPG), crime and fear, and their diverse impacts, focusing on small and rural municipalities. A search of peer-reviewed articles across major databases—Scopus, Web of Science, and JSTOR—from 1980 to August 2024 identified 72 relevant articles out of 1364 publications. A bibliometric analysis of the articles and their thematic review are guided by the following questions: What are the defining characteristics of places experiencing RPG? How does RPG affect crime and public perceptions of fear? Are there other notable consequences? The article also explores the main recommendations of research to mitigate these negative impacts and concludes by reflecting on the findings and providing insights for future research and policy implications.