There’s a public perception that Coos County’s economic challenges mean a significant population loss over the last decade. But a new study shows that’s not quite right. NHPR’s Chris Jensen reports.
Here’s a surprise for Coos County, courtesy of The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.
It has just finished a demographic study of the Northern Forest.
It includes 34 counties in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.
It looks at changes between 2000 and 2010.
Ken Johnson led the research.
He says during that decade Coos had about 1,100 more deaths than births.
But here’s what’s unusual.
“It only lost less than 100 people between 2000 and 2010.”
Johnson says that’s because people were moving into Coos.
“The surprising thing for Coos County is that it has received as much migration gain as it has and that is partially because it is a recreational area particularly in the southern part of the county.”
So, Coos ended the decade with just over 33,000 residents.
For NHPR News this is Chris Jensen
