Oxford County vs. Maine
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Oxford County vs. Maine
Oxford County:
2022 Population = 59,495
2022 Percent of State = 4.29%
Maine:
2022 Population = 1,385,340
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.42%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Oxford County with comparisons to Maine and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Oxford County vs. Maine's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Oxford County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Oxford County's population rose from 43,550 in 1969 to 59,495 in 2022, for a net gain of 15,945, or 36.61%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Maine's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Maine's population rose from 992,000 in 1969 to 1,385,340 in 2022, for a net gain of 393,340, or 39.65%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Oxford County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Maine, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Oxford County's overall population growth was 36.61% over 1969-2022 trailed Maine's increase of 39.65%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Maine Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Maine Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of comparing the population growth of Oxford County is to compare its individual percentage contributions to Maine's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Maine's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Oxford County's population totaled 4.39% of Maine's population, while in 2022 it equated to 4.29% thereby yielding a -0.10% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.10%
=
4.29%
-
4.39%
 
   
Oxford County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Oxford County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Oxford County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Oxford County's population grew at an annual rate of 0.59% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1972 (2.80%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1973 (-1.74%). In 2022, Oxford County's population grew by 1.32%
Oxford County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Oxford County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again traces the annual percent change in Oxford County's population since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Oxford County's annual population growth rate averaged 1.05%. It averaged 0.80% in the 1980s, 0.41% in the 1990s, 0.62% during the 2000s, -0.04% in the 2010s, 1.04% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Oxford County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Maine and the nation. As the chart reveals, Oxford County's average annual population growth trailed Maine's average throughout the 1970s (1.05% vs. 1.27%), amounted to less than Maine's average in the 1980s (0.80% vs. 0.82%), outperformed Maine's average throughout the 1990s (0.41% vs. 0.38%), led Maine's average throughout the 2000s (0.62% vs. 0.49%), lagged Maine's average during the 2010s (-0.04% vs. 0.21%), and topped Maine's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.04% vs. 0.68%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Oxford County posted below the nation throughout the 1970s (1.05% vs. 1.10%), fell under the nation over the 1980s (0.80% vs. 0.95%), lagged the nation in the 1990s (0.41% vs. 1.23%), lagged the nation in the 2000s (0.62% vs. 0.95%), recorded underneath the nation during the 2010s (-0.04% vs. 0.74%), and topped the nation over 2020-2022 (1.04% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.59
1.05
0.80
0.41
0.62
-0.04
1.04
1.32
 
0.63
1.27
0.82
0.38
0.49
0.21
0.68
0.59
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Oxford County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
43,550
100.0
N
4.39
1970
 
43,597
100.1
0.11
4.37
1971
 
44,446
102.1
1.95
4.38
1972
 
45,690
104.9
2.80
4.42
1973
 
44,896
103.1
-1.74
4.29
1974
 
44,881
103.1
-0.03
4.23
1975
 
45,508
104.5
1.40
4.24
1976
 
46,132
105.9
1.37
4.23
1977
 
47,096
108.1
2.09
4.26
1978
 
47,784
109.7
1.46
4.28
1979
 
48,319
111.0
1.12
4.30
1980
 
49,102
112.7
1.62
4.36
1981
 
49,295
113.2
0.39
4.35
1982
 
49,018
112.6
-0.56
4.31
1983
 
49,287
113.2
0.55
4.31
1984
 
49,633
114.0
0.70
4.29
1985
 
49,480
113.6
-0.31
4.25
1986
 
49,405
113.4
-0.15
4.22
1987
 
50,269
115.4
1.75
4.24
1988
 
51,217
117.6
1.89
4.25
1989
 
52,300
120.1
2.11
4.29
1990
 
52,748
121.1
0.86
4.28
1991
 
52,541
120.6
-0.39
4.25
1992
 
52,721
121.1
0.34
4.26
1993
 
52,845
121.3
0.24
4.25
1994
 
53,060
121.8
0.41
4.27
1995
 
53,380
122.6
0.60
4.29
1996
 
53,773
123.5
0.74
4.31
1997
 
53,896
123.8
0.23
4.30
1998
 
54,003
124.0
0.20
4.29
1999
 
54,454
125.0
0.84
4.30
2000
 
54,787
125.8
0.61
4.29
2001
 
55,157
126.7
0.68
4.29
2002
 
55,843
128.2
1.24
4.31
2003
 
56,206
129.1
0.65
4.30
2004
 
56,763
130.3
0.99
4.32
2005
 
57,235
131.4
0.83
4.34
2006
 
57,556
132.2
0.56
4.35
2007
 
57,966
133.1
0.71
4.37
2008
 
58,138
133.5
0.30
4.37
2009
 
57,923
133.0
-0.37
4.36
2010
 
57,771
132.7
-0.26
4.35
2011
 
57,743
132.6
-0.05
4.34
2012
 
57,435
131.9
-0.53
4.32
2013
 
57,347
131.7
-0.15
4.30
2014
 
57,252
131.5
-0.17
4.28
2015
 
57,075
131.1
-0.31
4.27
2016
 
57,209
131.4
0.23
4.27
2017
 
57,380
131.8
0.30
4.27
2018
 
57,583
132.2
0.35
4.26
2019
 
57,676
132.4
0.16
4.25
2020
 
57,894
132.9
0.38
4.25
2021
 
58,719
134.8
1.43
4.26
2022
 
59,495
136.6
1.32
4.29
Source: Calculations by the Maine Regional Economic Analysis Project (ME-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Maine:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
992,000
100.0
N
0.49
1970
 
996,784
100.5
0.48
0.49
1971
 
1,015,677
102.4
1.90
0.49
1972
 
1,034,817
104.3
1.88
0.49
1973
 
1,046,420
105.5
1.12
0.50
1974
 
1,060,050
106.9
1.30
0.50
1975
 
1,073,280
108.2
1.25
0.50
1976
 
1,089,960
109.9
1.55
0.50
1977
 
1,105,369
111.4
1.41
0.50
1978
 
1,115,457
112.4
0.91
0.50
1979
 
1,124,927
113.4
0.85
0.50
1980
 
1,126,860
113.6
0.17
0.50
1981
 
1,133,033
114.2
0.55
0.49
1982
 
1,136,683
114.6
0.32
0.49
1983
 
1,144,772
115.4
0.71
0.49
1984
 
1,155,634
116.5
0.95
0.49
1985
 
1,162,935
117.2
0.63
0.49
1986
 
1,170,126
118.0
0.62
0.49
1987
 
1,184,577
119.4
1.23
0.49
1988
 
1,203,840
121.4
1.63
0.49
1989
 
1,219,961
123.0
1.34
0.49
1990
 
1,231,719
124.2
0.96
0.49
1991
 
1,237,081
124.7
0.44
0.49
1992
 
1,238,508
124.8
0.12
0.48
1993
 
1,242,302
125.2
0.31
0.48
1994
 
1,242,662
125.3
0.03
0.47
1995
 
1,243,480
125.4
0.07
0.47
1996
 
1,249,060
125.9
0.45
0.46
1997
 
1,254,774
126.5
0.46
0.46
1998
 
1,259,127
126.9
0.35
0.46
1999
 
1,266,808
127.7
0.61
0.45
2000
 
1,277,072
128.7
0.81
0.45
2001
 
1,285,692
129.6
0.67
0.45
2002
 
1,295,960
130.6
0.80
0.45
2003
 
1,306,513
131.7
0.81
0.45
2004
 
1,313,688
132.4
0.55
0.45
2005
 
1,318,787
132.9
0.39
0.45
2006
 
1,323,619
133.4
0.37
0.44
2007
 
1,327,040
133.8
0.26
0.44
2008
 
1,330,509
134.1
0.26
0.44
2009
 
1,329,590
134.0
-0.07
0.43
2010
 
1,327,961
133.9
-0.12
0.43
2011
 
1,330,029
134.1
0.16
0.43
2012
 
1,330,899
134.2
0.07
0.42
2013
 
1,332,596
134.3
0.13
0.42
2014
 
1,336,530
134.7
0.30
0.42
2015
 
1,335,653
134.6
-0.07
0.42
2016
 
1,340,177
135.1
0.34
0.41
2017
 
1,344,851
135.6
0.35
0.41
2018
 
1,350,525
136.1
0.42
0.41
2019
 
1,357,487
136.8
0.52
0.41
2020
 
1,363,557
137.5
0.45
0.41
2021
 
1,377,238
138.8
1.00
0.41
2022
 
1,385,340
139.7
0.59
0.42
Source: Calculations by the Maine Regional Economic Analysis Project (ME-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Maine Regional Economic Analysis Project (ME-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

Please stay tuned...
while your request is processing:

Please wait while your request is being processed...
To offer the most comprehensive set of interactive options in support of your research, ME-REAP calculates and crunches most of the data and generates the narrative and graphic analysis on demand in response to your request.
Your request will soon be available.
Just a few more seconds....Your request has been generated and is now loading the results.