Is Maine's population growing or shrinking?
Refreshed annually
It grew by 6,400 between 2024 and 2025. That’s more than the population of the city of Oakland. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Maine’s 0.46% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, Maine’s population grew by 5.9%.
+6.44K
population change (2024 to 2025)
+0.46%
percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, Maine's population increased in 22 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2020 and 2021, when it gained 14,500 residents. The state's largest decline during the 21st century occurred between 2009 and 2010 when it lost 1,600 residents.
Maine gained 6,400 residents between 2024 and 2025.
Annual population change, 1901–2025
What contributes to population change in Maine?
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2024 to 2025 natural population change was negative in Maine, with deaths exceeding births by 5,000.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Maine’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 4,000 more people coming from another country to Maine than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: Maine’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 7,400 more people moving to Maine from other states than leaving.
Between 2024 and 2025, domestic migration was the primary driver of population growth in Maine.
Components of population change, 2011–2025
Which counties in Maine are growing? Which are shrinking?
Among 16 county equivalents, Cumberland County had the largest population growth in Maine, welcoming 2,557 new residents. Aroostook County lost the most, with a loss of 316 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2025.
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Cumberland County led Maine in percent population increase between 2024 and 2025 at 0.81 percent. Aroostook County ranked last with a 0.47 percent decline.
Between 2024 and 2025, Cumberland County gained 0.81% in population, the largest increase in Maine.
Population change
How does population change in Maine compare to other states?
Between 2015 and 2025, Maine’s population has increased by 5.9%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. Maine ranks 18th among states in population growth over that decade.
Maine ranked 18th in population growth between 2015 and 2025.
Percent change in population
Population change between 2024 and 2025, by county in Maine
| County | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cumberland County, ME | +0.81% |
| 2. | Androscoggin County, ME | +0.77% |
| 3. | Sagadahoc County, ME | +0.76% |
| 4. | Oxford County, ME | +0.63% |
| 5. | York County, ME | +0.6% |
| 6. | Penobscot County, ME | +0.43% |
| 7. | Knox County, ME | +0.37% |
| 8. | Kennebec County, ME | +0.31% |
| 9. | Somerset County, ME | +0.25% |
| 10. | Waldo County, ME | +0.2% |
Population change between 2015 and 2025, by state
| State | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idaho | +22% |
| 2. | Utah | +17.9% |
| 3. | Florida | +16.5% |
| 4. | Texas | +15.8% |
| 5. | Nevada | +14.9% |
| 6. | South Carolina | +14.8% |
| 7. | Arizona | +13.7% |
| 8. | North Carolina | +12.4% |
| 9. | Delaware | +12.2% |
| 10. | Washington state | +11.4% |
How is the US population changing?
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
