One of the fundamental drivers of economic growth is population growth. Contrary to predictions that Maine’s population would shrink, the Press Herald reported a few days ago that Maine’s population grew by 4.2 percent between the 2000 Census and 2010 Census.
That rate outstripped the 3.2 percent growth rate across New England and put us in third place in front of Rhode Island (0.4 percent), Vermont (2.8 percent) and Massachusetts (3.1 percent) but just behind Connecticut (4.9 percent) and well behind the leader, New Hampshire (6.5 percent). This news is a nice surprise from an economic standpoint. As the article points out, it also allows us to keep our two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives which is also a plus.