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1995 and 1996 Population Estimates of the Population Division of the U.S. Bureau of the Census by the Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER)

November 18, 1997

Today, the Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst released the 1996 population estimates for the 351 towns and cities of the Commonwealth produced by the Population Division of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The estimates are a product of the Federal/State Cooperative Program for Population Estimates, utilizing data on Massachusetts births, deaths and institutional populations reported to the Federal Coop by MISER.

These estimates show small but consistent growth of the population of the entire State over the period from 1990 to 1996. The growth rate shown in the estimates increased from an annual compound rate of .17% over the period from 1990 to 1995 to a rate of growth of .35% from 1995 to 1996. This is consistent with the increased mid-1990’s economic health of the Commonwealth compared to earlier in the decade.

Overall, population growth associated with the Bureau’s estimates tends to be distributed widely across the State. The greatest growth in individual towns and cities is in excess of 20% for places of reasonably small absolute size:
Place 1995 Pop. Estimate 1996 Pop. Estimate Percentage Growth, 1990-96
Boxford

8,348

8,550

36.5
West Tisbury

2,072

2,169

27.3
Berkley

5,124

5,236

23.6
Shirley

7,412

7,463

22.0
Nantucket

7,034

7,267

20.9
Franklin

25,862

26,664

20.7
Hubbardston

3,306

3,373

20.6
Of these, the largest place among high percentage growth areas is Franklin with a population estimated for 1996 by the Census of 26,664. Among county areas, those with the greatest growth were Nantucket, Dukes, Barnstable, Plymouth and Norfolk, registering gains of 20.9%, 13.9%, 8.2%, 4.9% and 3.5%, respectively. The rest of the county areas experienced 2.5% growth or lower.

Places which declined tended to cluster in predictable ways, replicating the pattern observed in earlier periods. Namely, the cities, Boston, Worcester and Springfield, declined, along with a tightly clustered set of their suburbs. Also, many of the towns in the Berkshires lost population between 1990 and 1996 according to the Federal estimates released today.

Boston’s population was estimated to have fallen by 15,889 between 1990 and 1996, a loss of 2.8%. Worcester lost 3,409, down by 2.0%, and Springfield, 7,035, a 4.5% loss. Only Berkshire, Hampden and Suffolk, among county areas, suffered losses, of 3.3%, 3.1% and 2.8%, respectively.

The following contains detailed population estimates for 1995 and 1996 and comparisons to the 1990 base population:

    City or Town April 1, 1990 July 1, 1995 5 yr* Change July 1, 1996 6 yr* Change
    (by County) (Census) Estimate # % Estimate # %
Cnty MCD       *(63 months)     *(75 months)  
    State Totals 6,016,425 6,071,078 54,653 0.9% 6,092,352 75,927 1.3%
                   
001   Barnstable County 186,605 199,232 12,627 6.8% 201,970 15,365 8.2%
001 005 Barnstable city 40,949 43,193 2,244 5.5% 43,699 2,750 6.7%
001 010 Bourne town 16,064 17,300 1,236 7.7% 17,529 1,465 9.1%
001 015 Brewster town 8,440 9,062 622 7.4% 9,261 821 9.7%
001 020 Chatham town 6,579 6,857 278 4.2% 6,930 351 5.3%
001 025 Dennis town 13,864 14,302 438 3.2% 14,423 559 4.0%
001 030 Eastham town 4,462 4,791 329 7.4% 4,855 393 8.8%
001 035 Falmouth town 27,960 30,057 2,097 7.5% 30,451 2,491 8.9%
001 040 Harwich town 10,275 11,158 883 8.6% 11,328 1,053 10.2%
001 045 Mashpee town 7,884 8,739 855 10.8% 8,935 1,051 13.3%
001 050 Orleans town 5,838 6,106 268 4.6% 6,185 347 5.9%
001 055 Provincetown town 3,561 3,660 99 2.8% 3,681 120 3.4%
001 060 Sandwich town 15,489 17,512 2,023 13.1% 17,916 2,427 15.7%
001 065 Truro town 1,573 1,706 133 8.5% 1,729 156 9.9%
001 070 Wellfleet town 2,493 2,679 186 7.5% 2,713 220 8.8%
001 075 Yarmouth town 21,174 22,110 936 4.4% 22,335 1,161 5.5%
                   
003   Berkshire County 139,352 135,126 -4,226 -3.0% 134,788 -4,564 -3.3%
003 005 Adams town 9,445 8,986 -459 -4.9% 8,945 -500 -5.3%
003 010 Alford town 418 413 -5 -1.2% 413 -5 -1.2%
003 015 Becket town 1,481 1,510 29 2.0% 1,511 30 2.0%
003 020 Cheshire town 3,479 3,443 -36 -1.0% 3,445 -34 -1.0%
003 025 Clarksburg town 1,745 1,689 -56 -3.2% 1,683 -62 -3.6%
003 030 Dalton town 7,155 6,968 -187 -2.6% 6,965 -190 -2.7%
003 035 Egremont town 1,229 1,228 -1 -0.1% 1,234 5 0.4%
003 040 Florida town 742 732 -10 -1.3% 733 -9 -1.2%
003 045 Great Barrington town 7,725 7,654 -71 -0.9% 7,656 -69 -0.9%
003 050 Hancock town 628 593 -35 -5.6% 589 -39 -6.2%
003 055 Hinsdale town 1,959 1,889 -70 -3.6% 1,884 -75 -3.8%
003 060 Lanesborough town 3,032 3,049 17 0.6% 3,053 21 0.7%
003 065 Lee town 5,849 5,755 -94 -1.6% 5,743 -106 -1.8%
003 070 Lenox town 5,069 5,035 -34 -0.7% 5,022 -47 -0.9%
003 075 Monterey town 805 799 -6 -0.7% 801 -4 -0.5%
003 080 Mount Washington town 135 132 -3 -2.2% 132 -3 -2.2%
003 085 New Ashford town 192 182 -10 -5.2% 181 -11 -5.7%
003 090 New Marlborough town 1,240 1,257 17 1.4% 1,262 22 1.8%
003 095 North Adams city 16,797 15,890 -907 -5.4% 15,847 -950 -5.7%
003 100 Otis town 1,073 1,070 -3 -0.3% 1,071 -2 -0.2%
003 105 Peru town 779 754 -25 -3.2% 753 -26 -3.3%
003 110 Pittsfield city 48,622 46,519 -2,103 -4.3% 46,315 -2,307 -4.7%
003 115 Richmond town 1,677 1,637 -40 -2.4% 1,631 -46 -2.7%
003 120 Sandisfield town 667 662 -5 -0.7% 661 -6 -0.9%
003 125 Savoy town 634 678 44 6.9% 687 53 8.4%
003 130 Sheffield town 2,910 2,955 45 1.5% 2,967 57 2.0%
003 135 Stockbridge town 2,408 2,350 -58 -2.4% 2,339 -69 -2.9%
003 140 Tyringham town 369 365 -4 -1.1% 368 -1 -0.3%
003 145 Washington town 615 628 13 2.1% 625 10 1.6%
003 150 West Stockbridge town 1,483 1,464 -19 -1.3% 1,464 -19 -1.3%
003 155 Williamstown town 8,220 8,070 -150 -1.8% 8,041 -179 -2.2%
003 160 Windsor town 770 770 0 0.0% 767 -3 -0.4%
                   
005   Bristol County 506,325 513,150 6,825 1.3% 513,899 7,574 1.5%
005 005 Acushnet town 9,554 9,774 220 2.3% 9,843 289 3.0%
005 010 Attleboro city 38,383 38,927 544 1.4% 39,070 687 1.8%
005 015 Berkley town 4,237 5,124 887 20.9% 5,236 999 23.6%
005 020 Dartmouth town 27,244 27,959 715 2.6% 28,100 856 3.1%
005 025 Dighton town 5,631 5,840 209 3.7% 5,871 240 4.3%
005 030 Easton town 19,807 20,800 993 5.0% 20,970 1,163 5.9%
005 035 Fairhaven town 16,132 16,025 -107 -0.7% 15,975 -157 -1.0%
005 040 Fall River city 92,703 91,177 -1,526 -1.6% 90,865 -1,838 -2.0%
005 045 Freetown town 8,522 8,723 201 2.4% 8,733 211 2.5%
005 050 Mansfield town 16,568 18,574 2,006 12.1% 18,806 2,238 13.5%
005 055 New Bedford city 99,922 97,428 -2,494 -2.5% 96,903 -3,019 -3.0%
005 060 North Attleborough town 25,038 25,397 359 1.4% 25,550 512 2.0%
005 065 Norton town 14,265 15,470 1,205 8.4% 15,659 1,394 9.8%
005 070 Raynham town 9,867 10,389 522 5.3% 10,513 646 6.5%
005 075 Rehoboth town 8,656 9,279 623 7.2% 9,354 698 8.1%
005 080 Seekonk town 13,046 13,249 203 1.6% 13,269 223 1.7%
005 085 Somerset town 17,655 17,733 78 0.4% 17,719 64 0.4%
005 090 Swansea town 15,411 15,508 97 0.6% 15,533 122 0.8%
005 095 Taunton city 49,832 51,779 1,947 3.9% 51,937 2,105 4.2%
005 100 Westport town 13,852 13,995 143 1.0% 13,993 141 1.0%
                   
007   Dukes County 11,639 12,821 1,182 10.2% 13,259 1,620 13.9%
007 005 Chilmark town 650 736 86 13.2% 764 114 17.5%
007 010 Edgartown town 3,062 3,411 349 11.4% 3,526 464 15.2%
007 015 Gay Head town 201 224 23 11.4% 234 33 16.4%
007 020 Gosnold town 98 95 -3 -3.1% 97 -1 -1.0%
007 025 Oak Bluffs town 2,804 3,032 228 8.1% 3,128 324 11.6%
007 030 Tisbury town 3,120 3,251 131 4.2% 3,341 221 7.1%
007 035 West Tisbury town 1,704 2,072 368 21.6% 2,169 465 27.3%
                   
009   Essex County 670,080 682,232 12,152 1.8% 686,774 16,694 2.5%
009 005 Amesbury town 14,997 15,641 644 4.3% 15,784 787 5.2%
009 010 Andover town 29,151 30,687 1,536 5.3% 30,891 1,740 6.0%
009 015 Beverly city 38,195 38,479 284 0.7% 38,596 401 1.0%
009 020 Boxford town 6,266 8,348 2,082 33.2% 8,550 2,284 36.5%
009 025 Danvers town 24,174 24,296 122 0.5% 24,467 293 1.2%
009 030 Essex town 3,260 3,343 83 2.5% 3,368 108 3.3%
009 035 Georgetown town 6,384 6,953 569 8.9% 7,054 670 10.5%
009 040 Gloucester city 28,716 29,160 444 1.5% 29,267 551 1.9%
009 045 Groveland town 5,214 5,512 298 5.7% 5,610 396 7.6%
009 050 Hamilton town 7,280 7,455 175 2.4% 7,487 207 2.8%
009 055 Haverhill city 51,418 53,283 1,865 3.6% 53,952 2,534 4.9%
009 060 Ipswich town 11,873 12,220 347 2.9% 12,352 479 4.0%
009 065 Lawrence city 70,207 68,893 -1,314 -1.9% 68,807 -1,400 -2.0%
009 070 Lynn city 81,245 80,394 -851 -1.0% 80,563 -682 -0.8%
009 075 Lynnfield town 11,049 11,175 126 1.1% 11,232 183 1.7%
009 080 Manchester by the Sea town 5,286 5,336 50 0.9% 5,357 71 1.3%
009 085 Marblehead town 19,971 19,920 -51 -0.3% 19,973 2 0.0%
009 090 Merrimac town 5,166 5,561 395 7.6% 5,670 504 9.8%
009 095 Methuen city 39,990 40,729 739 1.8% 41,029 1,039 2.6%
009 100 Middleton town 4,921 5,454 533 10.8% 5,624 703 14.3%
009 105 Nahant town 3,828 3,782 -46 -1.2% 3,782 -46 -1.2%
009 110 Newbury town 5,623 5,920 297 5.3% 5,985 362 6.4%
009 115 Newburyport city 16,317 16,467 150 0.9% 16,558 241 1.5%
009 120 North Andover town 22,792 23,610 818 3.6% 24,283 1,491 6.5%
009 125 Peabody city 47,264 48,097 833 1.8% 48,365 1,101 2.3%
009 130 Rockport town 7,482 7,544 62 0.8% 7,580 98 1.3%
009 135 Rowley town 4,452 5,140 688 15.5% 5,196 744 16.7%
009 140 Salem city 38,091 37,934 -157 -0.4% 38,008 -83 -0.2%
009 145 Salisbury town 6,882 7,027 145 2.1% 7,093 211 3.1%
009 150 Saugus town 25,549 26,097 548 2.1% 26,223 674 2.6%
009 155 Swampscott town 13,650 13,631 -19 -0.1% 13,676 26 0.2%
009 160 Topsfield town 5,754 5,937 183 3.2% 6,098 344 6.0%
009 165 Wenham town 4,212 4,413 201 4.8% 4,423 211 5.0%
009 170 West Newbury town 3,421 3,794 373 10.9% 3,871 450 13.2%
                   
011   Franklin County 70,092 70,987 895 1.3% 71,209 1,117 1.6%
011 005 Ashfield town 1,715 1,738 23 1.3% 1,744 29 1.7%
011 010 Bernardston town 2,048 2,076 28 1.4% 2,091 43 2.1%