Maine's unemployment rate improved modestly in December
The employment picture in Maine improved modestly in December, with the jobless rate hitting its lowest level since March 2020, the pandemic's first month.
The unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.7% from a revised 4.9% estimate for November, according to the Maine Department of Labor. The labor force participation rate was 60.1%, and has remained between 60.1% and 60.4% for the last nine months.
Nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 1,800 in December to 616,300 after an upward revision of 1,400 to the November estimate. This was the highest number of jobs since July and the second highest total in 21 months. Jobs increased by 1,000 in leisure and hospitality, and by 500 in wholesale and retail trade. There was little change in most other sectors during the month, the Labor Department said.
In December, there were 3.7% fewer jobs than in February 2020, before the pandemic hit the labor market. The private sector reached a pandemic-era high of 520,400 jobs in the month, but remained down 3.3%. Jobs in government remained down 6.1%.
Of the pandemic-era net decrease in jobs, 49% has been in the leisure and hospitality sector, 27% in government and schools, and 21% in health care and social assistance.
Maine’s unemployment rate compared to 3.9% unemployment nationally and 4.3% unemployment in New England. Rates for other states in the region ranged from 2.5% in Vermont to 5.8% in Connecticut.
Based on data that was not seasonally adjusted, unemployment rates were lowest in Sagadahoc County at 3.2% and highest in Somerset County at 5.6%.
Unemployment rates were below the statewide average in the Portland-South Portland metro area at 3.4%, and close to the average in the Bangor (3.8%) and Lewiston-Auburn (4.0%) metro areas.
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