| County | Rank | Change (2020) ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 1 | 5.38% | 31,054 | 29,468 |
| Androscoggin County | 2 | 5.11% | 116,862 | 111,178 |
| Cumberland County | 3 | 5.04% | 318,911 | 303,606 |
| York County | 4 | 4.68% | 222,195 | 212,263 |
| Kennebec County | 5 | 3.84% | 129,511 | 124,723 |
| Penobscot County | 6 | 3.73% | 157,862 | 152,179 |
| Lincoln County | 7 | 3.68% | 36,553 | 35,256 |
| Oxford County | 8 | 3.45% | 59,887 | 57,892 |
| Piscataquis County | 9 | 3.11% | 17,324 | 16,801 |
| Hancock County | 10 | 3.11% | 57,236 | 55,512 |
| Waldo County | 11 | 3.04% | 40,871 | 39,666 |
| Sagadahoc County | 12 | 2.54% | 37,664 | 36,730 |
| Somerset County | 13 | 2.38% | 51,672 | 50,473 |
| Washington County | 14 | 0.48% | 31,257 | 31,108 |
| Knox County | 15 | 0.47% | 40,855 | 40,663 |
| Aroostook County | 16 | -1.53% | 66,030 | 67,053 |
Maine's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Franklin County leads with 0.88% annualized growth, followed by Androscoggin County (0.83%) and Cumberland County (0.82%). The largest counties are Cumberland County (318,911), York County (222,195), and Penobscot County (157,862). Of the 16 counties in Maine, 15 are growing while just 1 has experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged 0.5% annualized growth, with total population growing by 0.62% annually.
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