Mainer Exodus Accelerates
Today the U.S. Census Bureau released their July 2007 to July 2008 population estimates which includes net domestic migration. For that time-period, Maine lost 2,063 residents to other states–a larger out-flow than the previous year’s loss of 963 residents (revised downward from a loss of 717). In the attached chart (click “continue reading to view), it is clear that Maine’s net migration is on a steep downward trajectory. Combined with net international in-migration and natural increase, Maine’s total population grew at an anemic 1,058 people.
In last year’s blog on this topic, I found that it was very likely that New Hampshire’s population would exceed Maine’s population this year. That threshold was not crossed this year as Maine continues to hold a very small lead of 647 people. For statistical purposes, this is a dead-heat. However, the fact that New Hampshire’s population will exceed Maine’s is all but given in the near future considering New Hampshire’s yearly growth is 3.5 times faster than Maine’s (3,553 versus 1,058)–mostly due to New Hampshire’s higher natural growth (births minus deaths).
Overall, net out-migration is not just a problem faced by Maine, but also all of New England: New Hampshire (-2,473), Massachusetts (-18,675), Rhode Island (-8,816), Connecticut (-14,985) and Vermont (-1,703).
