Maine Sees Its Greatest Population Growth in Two Decades

Folks from across the country are starting to realize what all of us Mainers already know; Maine is a wonderful state to live in.

According to the Bangor Daily News, the past two years have seen Maine with its best population growth in over two decades. They report that, according to the US Census, Maine's population, as of July 2021, is 1,372,000 people.

That's reportedly an increase of 10,000 people in just one year.

The US Census Bureau currently has Maine as the seventh fastest-growing state in America, and the fastest in New England. Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Delaware, and Florida are ahead of the Pine Tree State. New Hampshire is right behind Maine.

These are encouraging numbers for Maine, especially considering this country's current historical low migration rate. The Associated Press even reported that last year was the first time since 1937 that the U.S. grew by less than 1 million people.

While the ongoing worldwide pandemic picks up all the headlines, the greater issue may be the country's declining birthrate. According to the AP, many experts see this as a trend that may continue. America's birthrate has mostly declined over the last few decades, so to throw COVID-19 on top of that has made for a very concerning future.

While Maine does struggle with everyone else in birthrate, clearly the beauty, quality of life, and remoteness continue to counter.  And, it's believable to see an economy built on tourism and customer service that's ready to surpass, even take off, when restrictions are loosened more.

The Bangor Daily News put together some infographics on where Maine ranks in population change and growth. You can find it here.