The islands population slipped by 2.5 percent between 2001 and 2006, according to census numbers released this week by Statistics Canada.
As of the 2006 census, the total population on the islands was 4,812, down from 4,935 in 2001.
Port Clements, Queen Charlotte and Sandspit all lost significant population over the five-year period, while Old Massett's population stayed almost the same.
Masset gained slightly, while Skidegate's population growth was just over 5 percent, the same as BC generally. The biggest population gainer was rural Graham Island, which grew by almost 13 percent.
The new numbers show that Masset and Queen Charlotte, the two largest towns on the islands, have almost exactly the same population. No town on the islands has more than 1,000 people.
Here are the new numbers, with the 2001 population in brackets:
o Old Massett: 694 (707)
o Masset: 940 (926)
o Port: 440 (516)
o Rural Graham Island: 607 (538)
o Skidegate: 781 (743)
o Queen Charlotte: 948 (1,045)
o Moresby Island: 402 (460).