MAINE, USA — It's a phrase we keep on hearing -- the population of Maine is shrinking. But the latest census numbers for the state actually prove otherwise.
The U.S Census Bureau released its 2018 population estimates Thursday, and data shows that people are moving to Maine.
As of July 2018, the census estimates the total population of Maine at 1,338,404 people.
The population is up 0.8%, or 10,035 since April 2010.
Maine experienced a net migration in 2018 of 5,039 people. Of those, 570 were international and 4,469 were domestic.
In an interview with the Bangor Daily News, Luke Rogers from the population estimations branch of the U.S. Census said the state of Maine increased its population last year by about 3,300 people.
Of Maine's 16 counties, 10 saw population increases in 2018.
Cumberland and York counties saw the largest population increases.
The Portland-South Portland metro saw the biggest population changes, with 3,140 more people in 2018 and 21-thousand more people from 2010.
Aroostook, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties experienced population decreases since 2010.
Of those six, Aroostook experienced the largest decrease, losing 484 residents in 2018.
Bangor metro saw a decline in population in 2018 and a decrease of more than two-thousand people since 2010.
The Lewiston-Auburn metro experienced a population bump of 110 people in 2018.
The Augusta-Waterville area saw a general population decline since 2010 but experienced a boost of 154 in 2018.
According to the BDN, Rogers said the amount of people moving to Maine is offsetting the state's high mortality rate.
BDN says Maine and West Virginia are the only two states where the number of deaths outnumbered births.