Maine’s unemployment rate in April stays low and steady

Maine’s historic low unemployment numbers continue with April’s rate coming in at 3.3 percent.

The state’s jobless rate has been below 4 percent for 40 consecutive months, the longest period recorded, the Maine Department of Labor said in a news release.

The preliminary unemployment rate in April 2018 was 3.3 percent. In March of this year, it was 3.4 percent.

Maine gained roughly 3,000 jobs since April of last year, primarily in the retail and manufacturing sectors. The number of government jobs has essentially been unchanged for nearly six years. During that period, increasing numbers of jobs at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard offset declining numbers in state government.

Unemployment was lowest in Cumberland and Sagadahoc counties at 2.7 percent and highest in Washington County a 6.1 percent.

The unemployment rate was below the statewide average in all three metro areas: Portland-South Portland (2.7 percent), Lewiston-Auburn (3.2 percent) and Bangor (3.4 percent).

The national unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for April, down from 3.8 in March and 3.9 percent one year ago.

In other the New England states, Vermont has the lowest unemployment rate of 2.2 percent, followed by New Hampshire at 2.4 percent, Massachusetts at 2.9 percent, Rhode Island at 3.7 percent, and Connecticut at 3.8 percent. The overall rate for the region was 3.1 percent.

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