By now, many of us know that Maine’s population is on the rise. But a new look at Census data by University of New Hampshire researchers compares the state’s growth with the rest of New England.
The data shows Maine’s population had the biggest percentage increase of the New England states in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Census figures show that Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut reported population increases the past couple of years, while Massachusetts and Rhode Island dropped.
UNH researcher Kenneth Johnson noted in a recent paper that Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont gained because new residents moved to those states. Among pre-existing residents, the number of deaths outstripped the number of births, but the new people from “away” offset the natural decline in population.
The Maine Monitor reported in December that new Census figures show Maine’s population growth was fueled by pandemic-era domestic and international migration.
The state’s population stood at 1,385,340 on July 1, 2022, up by 8,102 in a year and up by 21,783 since July 1, 2020, according to the latest Census figures. Maine is the 42nd largest state.
In Washington County, and around the state, new residents have tightened the housing market, the Monitor reported.
The New York Times weighed in on the trend earlier this month, noting the real estate crunch and revealing this nugget: Maine was the only state where the median age actually dropped from 2020 to 2021.
“For decades we’ve been complaining about a brain drain, young people leaving, and we’re turning that around,” Governor Janet Mills told the Times. “We’re excited about people coming to Maine, and we want to make sure it remains affordable.”
Reach David Dahl, the editor of The Maine Monitor, with other story ideas by email: david@themainemonitor.org.
