Maine jobless rate edges up to 3% in November
Chart / Maine Department of Labor
Unemployment in Maine has been below 4% for 24 consecutive months, the second longest such period.
Maine’s unemployment rate edged up to 3% in November from 2.8% in October, still well below the U.S. unemployment rate of 3.7%, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
The agency said the rate was up because the labor force increased at a faster rate than employment, as in the previous three months.
Unemployment has been below 4% for 24 consecutive months, the second longest such period. The November rate was slightly above half the average since January 1976.
The agency noted that unemployment sometimes rises when job openings rates and wage growth are high.
Except for three months in 2021 when Maine’s unemployment rate was on par with the U.S., this marked the 192nd straight month Maine had a lower rate than the national average. New England's unemployment rate was 2.9%.
Nonfarm wage and salary jobs in Maine rose by 3,800 to 655,100, the fourth consecutive month jobs reached new highs after eight months of little net change.
Three-quarters of the increase was in professional and business services, health care and social assistance, and leisure and hospitality. Most of the 9,700 jobs gained in the last 12 months occurred since July.
Regional comparisons
Among the state’s three metropolitan areas, unemployment was below the statewide average in Portland/South Portland and close to the average in Bangor and Lewiston-Auburn.
Hourly earnings were higher than the statewide average in the Portland-South Portland area and slightly lower in the other two metropolitan areas.
Across the state, the unemployment rate was lowest in Sagadahoc County (2.6%) and highest in Washington County (4.6%).
The Maine Department of Labor is due to release December data on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
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