Census 2010: ethnicity in eastern Maine

There is more ethnic diversity in eastern Maine than there was 10 years ago, but that's not saying much. "White" people (presumably of European descent) still make up more than 90 percent its residents, as they do throughout Maine.

But still there are some interesting changes to note. Hispanics or Latinos (whom the U.S.Census Bureau do not categorize as a "race," for obvious reasons) have seen their numbers increase statewide by 80 percent, though their total is still less than 2 percent of Maine's total. Oddly enough, however, their numbers apparently have not changed at all in Milbridge over the past 10 years, despite Milbridge's reputation as a place where their numbers are rising. According to census figures, 84 Latinos lived in Milbridge in 2000 and 84 live there now. Otherwise, the town's overall population moderately increased from 1,279 residents in 2000 to 1,353 in 2010. Other Washington County towns have seen their Latino populations increase by a dozen or more (Calais, Harrington, Jonesport, Machias and Steuben), which is why the county's overall Latino population increased by 65 percent, from 274 to 452.

Also in Washington County, its African-American population increased nearly 60 percent, from 88 to 140, and its Asian population increased 48 percent, from 101 to 149. Most of the Asian population change was in East Machias (from one in 2000 to 23 in 2010), while the number of Asians in Machais and Calais, the county's two most populous municipalities, each have decreased since 2000.
Washington County's relatively large Native American population increased, too, but only by 6.5% The vast majority of the 1,586 Native Americans in Washington County live on Passamaquoddy tribal lands at Indian Township and Pleasant Point.

In Hancock County, the largest rate of ethnic growth was among the Asian population, which more than doubled, from 196 residents to 446. Of those 250 new Asian residents, 106 of them moved to Bar Harbor. Why, I'm not sure, but my guess is that it has something (but not everything) to do with Jackson Lab, which has had an effect on the county's overall Ellsworth-area population as it has grown. The numbers of Latinos and African-Americans in Hancock County each increased between 70 and 80 percent. Nearly 600 Latinos now call Hancock County home, while 221 African-Americans do. Native Americans, now with 216 residents, saw their population grow 13.7 percent in Hancock County since 2000.

The highest numbers of Asians, African-Americans and Latinos in eastern Maine are, not surprisingly, in the Bangor area. The five largest municipalities in Penobscot County ( Bangor, Orono, Brewer, Old Town and Hampden, in that order) saw their overall African-American population grow by 54 percent; their overall Latino population grow by 66 percent; and their overall Asian population grow by 27 percent. All told, these three ethnic groups make up 3 percent (2,843 residents) of the total population of those five municipalities, which is just shy of 68,000 people. The Native American population in these five municipalities - which grew from 595 in 2000 to 752 in 2010 - does not include 475 Penobscot Indians the U.S. Census Bureau counted at the Indian Island reservation next to Old Town.

Also not surprisingly, outside of the indigenous Native American populations, a casual glance at the census figures indicates there is more ethnic diversity in southern Maine, especially its larger municipalities, than there is in eastern Maine. Lewiston alone, for example, has more residents of African descent than the total number of Asians, Latinos, and African-Americans that live in Penobscot County's five largest municipalities put together - even though Penobscot County has roughly 50 percent more people than Androscoggin County (where Lewiston is located).

Incidentally, the state's population of people of African descent had the largest rate of growth in the past decade: 132 percent. Lewiston is the best example of that growth. The 2000 census counted 383 people of African descent in Maine's second-largest city. In 2010, that population had grown more than 700 percent, to 3,174. Most of them are believed to be people that emigrated to America from Somalia to escape violence in their home country.

To see some of the individual numbers from Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties, check out this spreadsheet.

To a large degree, I think the definition of "race" is a little antiquated, and so am not sure there is any real relevance to defining one's geographic ancestry. But to the extent that "race" also represents cultural diversity, I think it is interesting to chart the changes taking place. I tend to think a mixture of traditions and philosophies is a good thing, as long as the traditions and philosophies can tolerate each other's presence and don't result in hostilities between neighbors.

I once started talking to a man (a tourist from Philadelphia) on the mail boat to Islesford and happened to mention that Maine was one of the whitest in the country - at which point his face lit up and he made a comment to his wife that indicated he thought that was good news. He then made a comment about African-Americans that made me realize he was racist. His perspective, in my opinion, is a tradition that everyone can do without.