All Six New England States Gain Population, but Demographic Basis of Gain Varies

In this brief, author Kenneth Johnson reports that New England’s population grew by 310,000 between the 2020 Census in April 2020 and July 2025 and now stands at 15,432,000, according to new Census Bureau estimates. International immigration accounted for the entire population gain, offsetting an excess of deaths over births and an outflow of domestic migrants to other U.S. destinations from New England. All six New England states have gained population since 2020, but the source of growth varied. Maine and New Hampshire had the largest population gains in the region. Most of their gains were due to an influx of domestic migrants from other states, but each state also benefited from international immigration. Vermont’s modest population gain came from both domestic migration and immigration. Deaths exceeded births in all three northern New England states. The demographic story was different in southern New England. The population gains in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island were due to a substantial influx of immigrants. This offset a continuing net outflow of domestic migrants to other U.S. destinations. In Massachusetts and Connecticut, births exceeded deaths by a narrow margin. Immigration is the only likely source of significant population increase for New England. States in the region have among the lowest birth rates in the country and the oldest populations. So, births are likely to barely exceed deaths. New England also continues to lose migrants to other U.S. destinations. With immigration policies and practices now in flux, New England’s demographic future remains in question.