Slow-growing New Hampshire has continued its population gain since the pandemic but with a notable change from past years: Even places far from Boston have added some people.

“Traditionally our population growth has occurred along the Massachusetts border, but we are now seeing growth in our rural communities to the north and west as well,” Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said in a statement.

Between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2023, New Hampshire added 24,525 people, or 1.78 percent, according to the state analysis. All 10 counties recorded an increase in population over that time, bucking a trend of population stagnation or decline for some rural counties, especially in the northern part of the state.

In some areas the increase was tiny: Merrimack County added a mere 291 people over those 3 years, Coos County added 288 and Cheshire County, in the state’s southwest corner, added just 32 people, which is probably within the margin of error for annual population estimates made between each decennial census.

New Hampshire has long had the fastest-growing population in New England, but that’s not saying much since New England is the slowest-growing part of the country. In the memorable phrase of UNH demography guru Ken Johnson, we are winning a race among turtles. 

In the decade leading up to 2023, New Hampshire’s population grew 5% compared to a national growth of 6.4%. In recent years all of the state’s population growth has occurred due to people moving here from other states because the number of annual deaths in New Hampshire is now greater than the number of annual births.

Population growth from 2020 to 2023 remained highest in the state’s southeast corner, which has long been the most populous region. Rockingham County gained 8,811 people reach a population of 322,987, while Hillsborough County gained 7,836 people to reach 430,773 residents. 

The fastest-growing town in the state was Merrimack in Hillsborough County, which added 2,339 people for a growth rate of 8.78 percent. It was followed by two towns in Rockingham County – Londonderry, which added 1,708 residents, and Salem, which added 1,606.  All three are relatively accessible from the Boston region.