CWRI

Annual revisions to monthly workforce estimates for Maine have been published. Based on more complete data, revisions indicate that the unemployment rate and size of the labor force were little changed throughout 2019. The number of nonfarm payroll jobs increased more than previous estimates indicated. Data cited in this brief is seasonally adjusted. Unemployment Rate Preliminary estimates released each month indicated that the unemployment rate was as high as 3.5 percent in the first two months and as low as 2.8 percent in the fall of 2019. Revised rates indicate that the unemployment rate changed little during the year, gradually falling from 3.2 percent in the first two months of the year to 2.9 or 3.0 percent each of the last eight months. Given the size of the survey sample and margins of error in the estimates, there has essentially been no change in the statewide unemployment rate for more than two years. Unemployment has been below 4.0 percent each month since December...