| County | Rank | Change (2020) ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin County | 1 | 5.57% | 117,374 | 111,181 |
| York County | 2 | 5.41% | 223,762 | 212,272 |
| Cumberland County | 3 | 5.33% | 319,779 | 303,588 |
| Oxford County | 4 | 4.88% | 60,722 | 57,894 |
| Franklin County | 5 | 4.45% | 30,773 | 29,463 |
| Penobscot County | 6 | 4.26% | 158,651 | 152,174 |
| Sagadahoc County | 7 | 4.17% | 38,264 | 36,731 |
| Lincoln County | 8 | 4.03% | 36,666 | 35,244 |
| Kennebec County | 9 | 3.79% | 129,462 | 124,732 |
| Piscataquis County | 10 | 3.21% | 17,355 | 16,815 |
| Hancock County | 11 | 3.06% | 57,212 | 55,512 |
| Waldo County | 12 | 2.8% | 40,775 | 39,666 |
| Somerset County | 13 | 2.54% | 51,750 | 50,469 |
| Knox County | 14 | 1.49% | 41,270 | 40,663 |
| Washington County | 15 | 0.36% | 31,202 | 31,091 |
| Aroostook County | 16 | -1.13% | 66,293 | 67,051 |
Maine's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Androscoggin County leads with 0.91% annualized growth, followed by York County (0.88%) and Cumberland County (0.87%). The largest counties are Cumberland County (319,779), York County (223,762), and Penobscot County (158,651). Of the 16 counties in Maine, 15 are growing while just 1 has experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged 0.55% annualized growth, with total population growing by 0.68% annually.
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