The median age in Windham County rose from 43.1 in 2006 to 43.5 in 2007, the Census Bureau reported.
Between 2000 and 2007, the average age of a Windham County resident increased almost three years, climbing from the 2000 average of 40.1 years.
During the same period, the number of residents in the county decreased by just more than 1.5 percent, dropping from 44,166 in 2000 to 43,480 in 2007.
"This is no surprise. It has been a long steady trend over the past few years in this corner of the state," said Windham Regional Commission executive director Jim Matteau. "Over the past few years we've lost ground to other parts of the state."
Matteau said a number of factors contribute to the loss of population and increase in average age and it is hard to point to just one trend.
The recent drop in population follows what was a steady increase during the 1970s and 1980s.
During that period, Vermont saw a steady flow of young, back-to-the landers moving up from the South which increased the number of people in the state while decreasing the average age.
Vermont's population increased about 10 percent between 1970 and 1980. But as that group aged and had families, their children tended to move away.
"There is less economic
Vermont's population overall grew less than 1 percent, rising from 620,778 in 2006 to 621,254.
All of that growth took place in the north, with every southern Vermont county seeing a drop in population between 2006 and 2007.
While Windham County had one of the oldest median ages in the state, the estimates statewide followed the same trend.
The median age increased in every county in Vermont in 2007, according to the data released Thursday that is based on birth and death rates and international migration. It is not considered completely accurate.
Only Windsor County had an older median age than Windham County did in 2007. The median age in Windsor County in 2007 was 44.7.
Chittenden County had the lowest median age in the state at 37.5 years, though the average age in Chittenden rose as well from 34.2 in 2000.
Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at hwtisman@reformer.com or 802-254-2311, ext. 279.
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