The state’s unemployment rate for May stood at 3.3 percent, the same as April and little changed in the past two years, the Maine Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.
Maine’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been below 4.0 percent for 41 consecutive months, the longest period on record. The May number also is below the U.S. rate.
For the United States, the preliminary unemployment rate of 3.6 percent for May was unchanged from April and down slightly from 3.8 percent one year ago.
The New England unemployment rate estimate for May was 3.1 percent, with New Hampshire at 2.4 percent, Vermont at 2.1 percent, Massachusetts at 3 percent, Rhode Island at 3.6 percent and Connecticut at 3.8 percent.
The not seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate estimate of 3.3 percent for May was unchanged from one year ago. Unemployment was the lowest in Sagadahoc County at 2.5 percent and the highest in Aroostook County at 6 percent.
The unemployment rate was below the statewide average in all three metropolitan areas: Portland-South Portland at 2.6 percent, Lewiston-Auburn at 3.1 percent and Bangor at 3.1 percent.
June estimates will be published Friday, July 19, 2019.
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