The 2020 Census shows slight shifts in population distribution in the Upper Valley, according to more detailed data released on Sept. 16.
Some towns experienced larger jumps in population and Haverhill reported a 2.4% decrease, while most other Upper Valley towns and villages experienced smaller changes or reported similar numbers to those they had in 2010.
In Vermont, Thetford had 2,775 residents in 2020, up 7.2% from 2,588 in 2010, while Corinth grew 6.4% from 1,367 residents in 2010 to 1,455 in 2020 and Newbury grew 3.5% from 2,216 in 2010 to 2,293 in 2020.
In Newbury, the town’s 2020 population was divided between Newbury Town (1,415), Newbury Village (447), and Wells River (431)..
Bradford, Chelsea, Orange, and Strafford all saw very little change in population. Orange and Strafford reported the exact same population numbers as they did in 2010, at 1,048 and 1,094, respectively.
Bradford’s population is currently 2,790, while Chelsea has 1,233 residents. Both towns’ populations decreased slightly in the past decade by fewer than a dozen residents.
Fairlee’s population increased from 977 in 2010 to 988 in 2020, while West Fairlee went from 552 residents to 621 residents in the same time period.
Barnet and Groton both decreased in population, with Barnet going from 1,708 to 1,663 residents and Groton from 1,022 to 984 residents in the past decade. Vershire also experienced a decrease, with 730 residents in 2010 and 672 in 2020.
Peacham and Ryegate experienced smaller decreases. Peacham had 732 residents in 2010 and 715 in 2020, while Ryegate reported 1,174 residents in 2010 and 1,165 in 2020.
Topsham experienced a slight increase in population, from 1,173 in 2010 to 1,199 in 2020.
Overall, Orange County grew slightly in the past decade, with the county reporting 28,396 residents in 2010 and 29,277 residents in 2020.
It appeared that the distribution of Orange County’s population had changed, with more people moving closer to the New Hampshire border, particularly the Lebanon area.
In New Hampshire, Haverhill experienced a decrease, from 4,697 in 2010 to 4,585 in 2020. The figure includes all the precincts.
Lyme and Lisbon both increased in population, with Lyme reporting 1,716 residents in 2010 and 1,745 in 2020 and Lisbon reporting 1,595 residents in 2010 and 1,621 in 2020. Lyme shares a border with Hanover, where Dartmouth College is located.
The small towns of Benton, Easton, Landaff, and Monroe all reported modest increases in population over the past decade. Benton grew from 364 to 374, Easton grew from 254 to 292, and Landaff grew from 415 to 446. Monroe increased from 788 residents to 864.
Piermont, Warren, and Wentworth all saw drops in population. Piermont decreased in population from 790 residents in 2010 to 769 in 2020, while Warren’s population fell from 904 to 825 and Wentworth fell from 911 to 845.
Bath and Orford reported the exact same numbers in 2010 and 2020. Bath reported 1,077 residents in both census years, while Orford reported 1,237 residents in both census years.
Grafton County as a whole increased in population by 2.1%, from 89,118 to 91,118 in the past decade. The Grafton County towns within the Journal Opinion’s coverage area, however, saw only a 1.3% increase, from 14,478 to 14,680.
Town-by-town census data from 1960 to 2010 shows that Lebanon and Hanover, and to a lesser extent, Littleton and Plymouth, have been Grafton County’s population centers for over 50 years.
In 2010, Lebanon and Hanover combined had 24,411 residents, making up 27.4% of Grafton County’s entire population at the time.
The first 2020 Census results were released on Aug. 12, and the Census Bureau has been releasing more detailed and specific data regularly in the weeks since.
The data that the Journal Opinion used for this story was released on Sept. 16. Census data can be found at census.gov.
View published article in The Journal Opinion.
