Fastest-growing counties in Maine
Why do people move from one county or region to another? The usual suspects are jobs, family, significant others, and overall cost of living, but there are other elements at play. For those with children, moving within close proximity of a highly rated school district is a key contributing factor. For younger adults just starting out, living someplace with a vibrant social scene might be a top priority. And for those whose careers have wound down after a lifetime of work, finding retirement-friendly communities is the goal—communities deemed to be safe, offer accessibility to medical resources and leisure activities in equal measure, and be affordable for those on a limited income.
This is, of course, by no means an exhaustive list. People's reasons for choosing to live where they do are as diverse as people themselves.
As far as why certain counties across the U.S. have experienced growth, relocation is not the sole, or even primary, reason why. While more than 1,800 counties saw population gains in 2021, approximately 73% of all U.S. counties saw what the U.S. Census Bureau characterizes as a natural decrease. This was a significant jump from 2020, when 55.5% of countries experienced such a decrease. According to the Bureau, natural decrease is the simple result of "when there are more deaths than births in a population over a given time period." In 2021, the conflation of fewer births with an aging population that was also absorbing a higher-than-usual mortality rate due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to this "increased decrease."
Nonetheless, as stated 1,800 counties nationwide have grown larger over the last year, and a sizable percentage of them are in Maine. Stacker compiled a list of the fastest-growing counties in Maine using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest population growth from 2010 to 2020, based on the U.S. Decennial Census.
#16. Aroostook County
--- #3,073 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -6.6%
--- #16 among counties in Maine, #2,565 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 67,105
--- #6 largest county in Maine, #799 largest county nationwide
#15. Washington County
--- #2,789 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -5.4%
--- #15 among counties in Maine, #2,376 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 31,095
--- #14 largest county in Maine, #1,397 largest county nationwide
#14. Somerset County
--- #2,785 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -3.4%
--- #12 among counties in Maine, #2,052 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 50,477
--- #9 largest county in Maine, #982 largest county nationwide
#13. Penobscot County
--- #2,779 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -1.1%
--- #11 among counties in Maine, #1,671 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 152,199
--- #3 largest county in Maine, #446 largest county nationwide
#12. Franklin County
--- #2,651 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -4.3%
--- #14 among counties in Maine, #2,203 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 29,456
--- #15 largest county in Maine, #1,443 largest county nationwide
#11. Piscataquis County
--- #2,351 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -4.2%
--- #13 among counties in Maine, #2,194 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 16,800
--- #16 largest county in Maine, #1,984 largest county nationwide
#10. Oxford County
--- #1,571 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: -0.1%
--- #10 among counties in Maine, #1,504 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 57,777
--- #7 largest county in Maine, #901 largest county nationwide
#9. Lincoln County
--- #1,063 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +2.3%
--- #5 among counties in Maine, #1,143 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 35,237
--- #13 largest county in Maine, #1,297 largest county nationwide
#8. Waldo County
--- #1,052 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +2.1%
--- #7 among counties in Maine, #1,163 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 39,607
--- #11 largest county in Maine, #1,191 largest county nationwide
#7. Knox County
--- #1,036 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +2.2%
--- #6 among counties in Maine, #1,154 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 40,607
--- #10 largest county in Maine, #1,168 largest county nationwide
#6. Hancock County
--- #987 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +1.9%
--- #8 among counties in Maine, #1,193 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 55,478
--- #8 largest county in Maine, #927 largest county nationwide
#5. Sagadahoc County
--- #925 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +4.0%
--- #3 among counties in Maine, #927 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 36,699
--- #12 largest county in Maine, #1,266 largest county nationwide
#4. Kennebec County
--- #907 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +1.2%
--- #9 among counties in Maine, #1,305 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 123,642
--- #4 largest county in Maine, #513 largest county nationwide
#3. Androscoggin County
--- #668 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +3.2%
--- #4 among counties in Maine, #1,027 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 111,139
--- #5 largest county in Maine, #552 largest county nationwide
#2. York County
--- #348 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +7.5%
--- #2 among counties in Maine, #596 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 211,972
--- #2 largest county in Maine, #323 largest county nationwide
#1. Cumberland County
--- #277 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2020 percent population change: +7.6%
--- #1 among counties in Maine, #593 among all counties nationwide
- 2020 population: 303,069
--- #1 largest county in Maine, #231 largest county nationwide