Is being in an area of Maine that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Portland and Lewiston, while others want peace and quiet like in Gardiner and Belfast, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Maine have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Pine Tree State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Maine For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Maine for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Westbrook ranks as the fastest-growing city in Maine. If you happen to be a resident of Westbrook, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Maine grow like weeds.
For more Maine state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Maine
- Cheapest Places To Live In Maine
- Most Dangerous Cities In Maine
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Maine For 2026
1. Westbrook
/10
Population: 20,775
Population 2010: 17,314
Percent Growth 20.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,461
More on Westbrook: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Ellsworth
/10
Population: 8,657
Population 2010: 7,555
Percent Growth 14.6%
Absolute Growth: 1,102
More on Ellsworth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Saco
/10
Population: 20,819
Population 2010: 18,398
Percent Growth 13.2%
Absolute Growth: 2,421
More on Saco: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. South Portland
/10
Population: 26,930
Population 2010: 24,804
Percent Growth 8.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,126
More on South Portland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Waterville
/10
Population: 17,077
Population 2010: 15,777
Percent Growth 8.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,300
More on Waterville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Auburn
/10
Population: 24,602
Population 2010: 23,279
Percent Growth 5.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,323
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Biddeford
/10
Population: 22,498
Population 2010: 21,490
Percent Growth 4.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,008
More on Biddeford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Lewiston
/10
Population: 38,324
Population 2010: 36,684
Percent Growth 4.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,640
More on Lewiston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Belfast
/10
Population: 6,986
Population 2010: 6,691
Percent Growth 4.4%
Absolute Growth: 295
More on Belfast: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Portland
/10
Population: 68,854
Population 2010: 66,138
Percent Growth 4.1%
Absolute Growth: 2,716
More on Portland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Pine Tree State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 19 Maine cities with a population over 6,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Pine Tree State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Maine.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Maine with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Maine, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Maine are led by Westbrook which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Maine are Westbrook, Ellsworth, Saco, South Portland, Waterville, Auburn, Biddeford, Lewiston, Belfast, and Portland.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Caribou
- Presque Isle
- Rockland
For more Maine reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Maine For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westbrook | 20,775 | 17,314 | 20.0% | 3,461 |
| 2 | Ellsworth | 8,657 | 7,555 | 14.6% | 1,102 |
| 3 | Saco | 20,819 | 18,398 | 13.2% | 2,421 |
| 4 | South Portland | 26,930 | 24,804 | 8.6% | 2,126 |
| 5 | Waterville | 17,077 | 15,777 | 8.2% | 1,300 |
| 6 | Auburn | 24,602 | 23,279 | 5.7% | 1,323 |
| 7 | Biddeford | 22,498 | 21,490 | 4.7% | 1,008 |
| 8 | Lewiston | 38,324 | 36,684 | 4.5% | 1,640 |
| 9 | Belfast | 6,986 | 6,691 | 4.4% | 295 |
| 10 | Portland | 68,854 | 66,138 | 4.1% | 2,716 |