More people moving to Maine during the pandemic led to population growth in nearly every county in 2021.
Only Aroostook County saw its population fall significantly from 2020 to 2021, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers released on Thursday, while Androscoggin County's population largely remained stagnant.
Maine State Economist Amanda Rector said that while the state reported more deaths than births, every county saw more people move in than leave. She said that was especially true in some rural counties, such as Piscataquis, which saw its population grow by 2.4 percent.
"I think that does line up with some of what we're seeing, with those being more desirable places over the course of the pandemic," Rector said.
Ryan Wallace, the director of the University of Southern Maine's Maine Center for Business and Economic Research, said the trends are encouraging in a state that needs more working-age people. But he cautioned that they may not last.
"That's the ultimate big question is, we've seen this big bump, or decent-sized bump," Wallace said. "But will this stay, or will we people eventually return to their origin location?"
Rector says that while the numbers are generally encouraging for the state, it's still unclear whether they signal a long-term trend or a pandemic-related blip.
