The population of Maine's year-round island communities, on the decline a decade ago, has grown in the last 10 years, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data.
An analysis by the Island Institute shows a 7 percent overall population increase on the 15 coastal Maine islands that have winter residents. There were nearly 4,500 year-round islanders in 2000, compared to fewer than 4,200 in 1990, according to new census figures.
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| POPULATION BY CENSUS
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Here are Maine's 15 year-round island communities and how their populations changed from 1990 to 2000. The U.S. Census Bureau data was analyzed by the Island Institute.
Peaks Island: 763 in 1990; 843 in 2000; 10.5 percent increase.
Cliff Island: 86 in 1990; 87 in 2000; 1.2 percent increase.
Chebeague Island: 337 in 1990; 356 in 2000; 5.6 percent increase.
Great Diamond Island: 20 in 1990; 77 in 2000; 285 percent increase.
Little Diamond Island: Eight in 1990; five in 2000; 37.5 percent decrease.
Long Island: 201 in 1990; 202 in 2000; 0.5 percent increase.
Vinalhaven: 1,072 in 1990; 1,235 in 2000; 15.2 percent increase.
North Haven: 332 in 1990; 381 in 2000; 14.8 percent increase.
Isleboro: 579 in 1990; 603 in 2000; 4.1 percent increase.
Isle au Haut: 46 in 1990; 79 in 2000; 71.7 percent increase.
Swan's Island: 348 in 1990; 327 in 2000; 6 percent decrease.
Monhegan: 88 in 1990; 75 in 2000; 14.8 percent decrease.
Matinicus: 67 in 1990; 51 in 2000; 23.9 percent decrease.
Frenchboro: 44 in 1990; 38 in 2000; 13.6 percent decrease.
Cranberry Isles: 189 in 1990; 128 in 2000; 32.3 percent decrease.
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"Islands are, by and large, holding steady," said Jim Doyle, education officer of the Rockland-based insti- tute.
At the same time, however, the demographics of those communities have continued to change, with young families leaving and older couples arriving, among other shifts, Doyle said. Even with stable populations, those shifts sometimes cause declining school enrollments and disagreements over taxes and services.
Doyle has analyzed new census numbers for the institute and its monthly publication, The Working Waterfront. He also monitors other demographic changes, such as aging populations, as he works to support island communities and schools for the institute.
Maine's islands will soon see huge population explosions with the annual arrival of tourists and summer residents. But residents who live offshore during the sometimes harsh and isolated winter months make up a small and hardy community.
Maine's most populous island is Vinalhaven, with 1,235 full-time residents, according to the 2000 census. The least populous is Little Diamond Island, with five residents in 2000.
Because island communities are so small, it doesn't take much to cause big population shifts. On some islands, the departure or arrival of one or two families can have a big impact on population and school enrollment.
The fastest growing island community - in percentage of population - was Great Diamond. The Casco Bay island nearly tripled in size from 20 year-round residents in 1990 to 77 in 2000. Great Diamond is a 20-minute ferry ride from the Portland waterfront and has grown despite having no year-round store, no school and no post office - institutions that other island communities consider critical to their survival.
Great Diamond's growth was facilitated by the redevelopment of Fort McKinley's barracks and officers' quarters into Diamond Cove, a cluster of townhouses, a health club, restaurant and other exclusive facilities. While most of the new homes are occupied during the summer, dozens of buyers have moved in full time.
"It's a very big change," said Betsy Weber, a year-round islander since 1975. "When we first came out here, there was only one other family" who stayed all winter.
Many of Great Diamond's new residents, like newcomers to other Maine islands, are there for the natural beauty, slow pace and security.
"It's really gorgeous out here. The sunsets are beautiful. There's wildlife. Just the sound of the ocean is spectacular," Weber said. "You are really isolated from civilization."
At the same time, however, the harsh weather, isolation and inconveniences of island life continue to limit the size of the population. It's not unusual for newcomers to move back to the mainland after one winter offshore, Weber said.
Several islands went against the overall trend and saw population declines between 1990 and 2000. Monhegan and Matinicus, for examples, are among the most remote of Maine's island communities, too far offshore for commuters or retirees who represent much of the growth on other islands.
Even the growing population on some islands hasn't relieved the tension over school enrollment.
Because the towns are aging, and because the demand for properties has made island living too costly for some young families, several schools continue to barely hang on. Great Cranberry Island and Matinicus both have empty schoolhouses right now, but have voted to keep them open for youngsters who they hope will enroll in future years, Doyle said.
"In most cases, seniors outnumber the youngsters on the islands 5-, 6- or 10-to-one," Doyle said. "Historically, you had to have a large family to" support yourself and survive on an island. Now, there is more financial capacity and island economies are shifting from industrial fishing to services and tourism.
"The thing is with islands," Doyle said, "they are constantly going through an evolution. They have done that for thousands of years."
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at: jrichardson@pressherald.com
