Wharton welcomed its biggest housing project in decades. Wharton Lakes, near South Alabama and East Milam, officially opened with 35 homes built and 20 families already moved in. The 220-home subdivision sits on 50 acres annexed last year, with homes starting under $300,000. Builders are offering interest rates below 4%. Phase two adds 50 more homes by year’s end. As I-69 nears completion, Wharton braces for major growth, with city leaders expecting the population to double or triple in the next several years.