ABSTRACT This study reviews the land use changes between 1990 and 2018 with the presentation of 12 towns in Hungary focusing on the situation and change of land cover. The character and morphological aspect of new artificial surfaces are reviewed; the change of compactness and green infrastructure is shown with indicators; the different character of administrative areas and urban centres is highlighted. The study relies on data from the Corine Database and the Urban Atlas. Based on the analysis, the towns were grouped according to calculated indicators and the changes were presented on maps. Although the overall urban growth is relatively low, in all Hungarian second-tier towns an increase of artificial surfaces is experienced. New industrial and residential units appear connected to urban centres, which mostly occupy arable land and pastures, while new mine sites and transportation units are further from the central areas. The compactness and porosity decreased.