Greater Portland

Portland grew from an estimated population of 66,194 on July 1, 2010 to an estimated 66,881 on July 1, 2015, an increase of just over 1 percent. Other cities in the southern part of the state also saw growth, including Saco (up 3.2 percent), Westbrook (up 2.8 percent) and Scarborough (up 4.1 percent).

Maine’s 10 fastest-growing cities and towns

Town

2010 population

2010-2015 gain

Windham

17,001

815

Falmouth

11,185

803

Gorham

16,381

800

Scarborough

18,919

772

Portland

66,194

687

Saco

18,482

596

S. Portland

25,002

554

Waterville

15,722

539

Cumberland

7,211

420

Westbrook

17,494

392

Greater Bangor and Northern Maine

In northern Maine, cities mostly had declining populations, including Presque Isle, where the population dropped 5.4 percent from 2010 to 2015, and Bangor, where the population declined 2.0 percent. Central Maine cities also lost population – especially Augusta, which lost 3.5 percent of its population over the 5-year period.

The Census Bureau estimates that Aroostook County, whose population was estimated to be 68,628 as of July 1, 2015, is Maine’s fastest-shrinking county, with a population loss of 3,242 people since the 2010 Census (a growth rate of -4.5 percent).

In the Bangor area, population gains in the suburbs of Hermon, Ellsworth and Orono were largely offset by losses in the cities of Bangor and Brewer, which together lost an estimated 898 residents in the 2010-2015 period.

Municipalities with the 5 largest population losses, 2010-2015

Town

2010 population

2010-2015 loss

Augusta

19,136

-665

Bangor

33,039

-648

Presque Isle

9,692

-521

Lewiston

36,592

-390

Caribou

8,189

-373

Small towns, big impact

Another view of the data looks at population gains and losses in terms of annual percentage rates, which gives an idea of population changes on a per-capita basis. This emphasizes the effects of population gains and losses in comparatively small towns. For instance, Hope, in Knox County, gained 135 new residents between 2010 and 2015 – which means that for every 100 residents who lived in Hope in 2010, there were nearly 9 newcomers in 2015.

By contrast, Portland’s 687 new residents, in a city of 66,881, add up to a paltry 1 percent growth rate over five years.

5 fastest-growing towns, relative to current population

Town

2010 population

2010-2015 gain

2010-2015 growth rate

Waldo

762

80

10.5%

Hope

1,536

135

8.8%

Falmouth

11,185

803

7.2%

Hermon

5,416

383

7.1%

Cumberland

7,211

503

7.0%

Census estimates of population changes in such small towns are less statistically reliable than for larger towns, and so this list excludes towns with fewer than 500 residents, such as Burlington in Penobscot County, where the estimate of 55 new residents out of an estimated 418 would have yielded a 15.2 percent growth rate.