January’s unemployment rate extends the state’s historic streak of jobless rates.
Workforce estimates for January released by the Maine Department of Labor show a statewide unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, which has not changed since August. It is the 37th consecutive month the jobless rate has been below 4 percent.
An earlier estimate placed the January 2015 rate at 3.9 percent, which started the historic unemployment streak, but it was recently revised to 4.0 percent.
Cumberland County’s unemployment rate of 3.1 percent was the lowest in the state while Washington County’s rate of 6.6 percent was the highest.
The state compared favorably with the U.S. unemployment rate, which was 4 percent for January.
New England’s rate averaged 3.3 percent, with New Hampshire 2.4 percent, Vermont 2.5 percent, Massachusetts 3.1 percent, Rhode Island 4.0 percent, and Connecticut 3.8 percent.
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