Home → News Release
News Release
Released: Friday, May 17 at 10 a.m.
Contact: Glenn Mills, 207-530-2079
The Employment Situation in Maine – April 2024
Labor market conditions were little changed in April, continuing the pattern of the early part of the year. The number of nonfarm jobs has been relatively stable, and the unemployment rate remained low at 3.1 percent.
Download data as a spreadsheet: Nonfarm Payroll Job Estimates | LAUS Seasonally Adjusted Data
These estimates are derived from two monthly surveys. The Current Population Survey collects information from households on labor force status, including labor force participation, employment, and unemployment. The Current Employment Statistics survey collects information from nonfarm employers by industry on the number of wage and salary jobs, hours worked, and wages paid to individuals on their payrolls. Both surveys are administered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Preliminary estimates from the two surveys sometimes diverge in direction or magnitude of change. Over extended periods they tend to be more aligned.
Statewide Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force Estimates
The preliminary 3.1 percent unemployment rate decreased slightly from 3.3 percent for March. The three-month average for the period through April decreased 0.1 points from the previous three months through January.
Unemployment has been below four percent for 29 months – the second longest such period – and below the U.S. average for all but two months in more than 16 years. Unemployment was below the long-term average of 5.5 percent for the state since January 1976, when the current methodology was adopted.
Preliminary unemployment estimates should be considered in the context of whether they are below, near, or above historical averages, rather than if they are up or down a few tenths of a point from some other month. The household survey sample they are derived from is large enough for direct estimates for the nation. For states it is much smaller and statistical modeling is used to prevent large single-month changes that may overstate the magnitude or the direction of labor market change.
One result of this is that preliminary unemployment rates for Maine tend to follow an undulating pattern, moving in one direction for several months and then the other through the course of a year. Revisions, published annually in March, have consistently smoothed these patterns. Upward or downward changes in preliminary unemployment or labor force participation rates may not be as indicative of improvement or deterioration in conditions as it may appear. Though rates for many months will change when revised, unemployment rates for the early part of 2024 certainly will remain well below the long-term average.
| Over the Month Change in Labor Force (Seasonally Adjusted) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Mar | Apr | Change | |||
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 59.3% | 59.4% | 0.1% | |||
| Employment to Population Ratio | 57.4% | 57.6% | 0.2% | |||
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 3.1% | -0.2% | |||
| Three-Month Average Labor Force (Seasonally Adjusted) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Nov to Jan | Feb to Apr | Change | |||
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 59.3% | 59.4% | 0.0% | |||
| Employment to Population Ratio | 57.3% | 57.4% | 0.1% | |||
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.3% | -0.1% | |||
Unemployment averaged 3.3 percent for New England and 3.9 percent for the U.S. in April.
Statewide Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Jobs Estimates
The preliminary estimate of 656,200 nonfarm wage and salary jobs was little changed in the month, up 500 after a small downward revision for March. The number of jobs is essentially unchanged so far in 2024; jobs increased 11,100 from a year ago, an average of 900 per month. More than half of the over the year gain was in healthcare and social assistance, following a slower than average recovery in that sector in the first two years after the pandemic’s onset. Healthcare and social assistance (17 percent), retail trade (13 percent), professional and business services (12 percent), and leisure and hospitality (11 percent) comprise about half of jobs in the state.
The payroll survey of employers is much larger than the household survey. Preliminary nonfarm jobs estimates for Maine tend to provide a better indication of the magnitude and direction of change than labor force and unemployment estimates. Annual revisions to jobs data tend to be relatively small.
| Industry | Jobs (in thousands) | Change in Jobs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2024 | Share of Jobs | Over the Month | Over the Year | ||||||
| Apr | Mar | Apr | Apr 23 | Apr 24 | Net | Percent | Monthly Average | Net | Percent | |
| Total Nonfarm | 645.1 | 655.7 | 656.2 | 100% | 100% | 0.5 | 0.1% | 0.9 | 11.1 | 1.7% |
| Total Private | 546.1 | 554.2 | 554.7 | 84.7% | 84.5% | 0.5 | 0.1% | 0.7 | 8.6 | 1.6% |
| Healthcare & Social Assistance | 105.6 | 111.3 | 111.7 | 16.4% | 17.0% | 0.4 | 0.4% | 0.5 | 6.1 | 5.8% |
| Retail Trade | 81.6 | 82.3 | 82.4 | 12.6% | 12.6% | 0.1 | 0.1% | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.0% |
| Professional & Business Services | 76.1 | 77.1 | 76.7 | 11.8% | 11.7% | -0.4 | -0.5% | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.8% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 67.8 | 68.7 | 69.1 | 10.5% | 10.5% | 0.4 | 0.6% | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.9% |
| Manufacturing | 54.1 | 54.1 | 53.9 | 8.4% | 8.2% | -0.2 | -0.4% | 0.0 | -0.2 | -0.4% |
| Construction | 33.6 | 34.1 | 33.7 | 5.2% | 5.1% | -0.4 | -1.2% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3% |
| Financial Activities | 33.7 | 33.6 | 33.5 | 5.2% | 5.1% | -0.1 | -0.3% | 0.0 | -0.2 | -0.6% |
| Educational Services | 22.7 | 22.5 | 23.0 | 3.5% | 3.5% | 0.5 | 2.2% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.3% |
| Other Services | 22.1 | 21.8 | 21.6 | 3.4% | 3.3% | -0.2 | -0.9% | 0.0 | -0.5 | -2.3% |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | 19.0 | 19.5 | 19.7 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 0.2 | 1.0% | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.7% |
| Wholesale Trade | 19.6 | 19.1 | 19.2 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 0.1 | 0.5% | 0.0 | -0.4 | -2.0% |
| Information | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.1 | 1.2% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| Mining & Logging | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| Government | 99.0 | 101.5 | 101.5 | 15.3% | 15.5% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.5% |
| Local | 59.8 | 61.2 | 61.1 | 9.3% | 9.3% | -0.1 | -0.2% | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.2% |
| State | 22.4 | 23.1 | 23.2 | 3.5% | 3.5% | 0.1 | 0.4% | 0.1 | 0.8 | 3.6% |
| Federal | 16.8 | 17.2 | 17.2 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.4% |
| Industries in decending order by current month jobs. | ||||||||||
Not Seasonally Adjusted County and Metro Labor Force Estimates
On a not seasonally adjusted basis the statewide unemployment rate was 2.8 percent. Rates were at least 0.3 percentage points higher than that in seven counties, at least 0.3 points lower than that in four, and close to the average in five. The lowest rates were in southern and central areas and the highest were in the north.
Among the three metro areas of the state, unemployment was below the statewide average in Portland-S. Portland and close to the average in Bangor and Lewiston-Auburn.
(Labor force estimates for substate areas, including unemployment rates, are not seasonally adjusted. Because of this, estimates for a certain month should be compared to the same month in other years and should not be compared to other months in the same or other years.)
| April Labor Force Estimates (not seasonally-adjusted) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Employed | Unemployed | Unemployment Rate | |||
| 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Maine | 660,690 | 672,400 | 16,940 | 19,090 | 2.5% | 2.8% |
| U.S. (in thousands) | 161,080 | 161,590 | 5,150 | 5,890 | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| Counties | ||||||
| Androscoggin | 51,920 | 52,700 | 1,360 | 1,490 | 2.6% | 2.7% |
| Aroostook | 27,300 | 27,770 | 1,160 | 1,380 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Cumberland | 160,060 | 163,110 | 3,330 | 3,540 | 2.0% | 2.1% |
| Franklin | 13,310 | 13,330 | 480 | 520 | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Hancock | 26,630 | 27,060 | 830 | 950 | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Kennebec | 60,530 | 61,360 | 1,320 | 1,500 | 2.1% | 2.4% |
| Knox | 19,090 | 19,180 | 480 | 570 | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Lincoln | 15,940 | 16,280 | 400 | 440 | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| Oxford | 25,170 | 25,560 | 680 | 820 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Penobscot | 71,940 | 73,340 | 1,920 | 2,260 | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| Piscataquis | 6,740 | 6,790 | 300 | 360 | 4.2% | 5.0% |
| Sagadahoc | 18,830 | 19,200 | 370 | 400 | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| Somerset | 21,070 | 21,620 | 880 | 830 | 4.0% | 3.7% |
| Waldo | 19,580 | 19,920 | 520 | 580 | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| Washington | 12,720 | 13,120 | 530 | 620 | 4.0% | 4.5% |
| York | 109,880 | 112,080 | 2,360 | 2,850 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Metropolitian Areas | ||||||
| Bangor | 66,750 | 68,030 | 1,550 | 1,820 | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| Lewiston-Auburn | 52,300 | 53,100 | 1,340 | 1,470 | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| Portland-S Portland | 202,440 | 206,270 | 4,190 | 4,700 | 2.0% | 2.2% |
Not Seasonally Adjusted Statewide and Metro Area Hours and Earnings Estimates
The private sector workweek averaged 32.9 hours and earnings averaged $31.49 per hour in April. Average hours decreased 0.7 and hourly earnings increased 4.1 percent from a year ago. Earnings increases were led by a 7.4 percent gain in manufacturing. The workweek was longest in construction and shortest in leisure and hospitality. Earnings were highest in professional and business services and lowest in leisure and hospitality.
Hourly earnings were higher than the statewide average in the Portland-S. Portland metro and slightly lower in the Bangor and Lewiston-Auburn metros.
| April Private Sector Average Hours and Earnings Estimates (not seasonally-adjusted) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector/Area | Weekly Hours | Hourly Earnings | ||||
| 2023 | 2024 | Change | 2023 | 2024 | % Change | |
| Maine | 33.6 | 32.9 | -0.7 | $30.26 | $31.49 | 4.1% |
| United States | 34.6 | 34.1 | -0.5 | $33.77 | $34.85 | 3.2% | Sectors Statewide |
| Construction | 39.2 | 39.5 | 0.3 | $30.45 | $31.96 | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 39.9 | 37.6 | -2.3 | $28.93 | $31.07 | 7.4% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 32.1 | 32.0 | -0.1 | $25.52 | $26.34 | 3.2% |
| Professional & Business Services | 34.9 | 34.9 | 0.0 | $35.35 | $37.04 | 4.8% |
| Education & Health Services | 33.4 | 32.7 | -0.7 | $33.36 | $34.19 | 2.5% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 26.3 | 25.5 | -0.8 | $22.83 | $22.79 | -0.2% |
| Metropolitian Areas, Private Sector | ||||||
| Bangor | 33.7 | 34.6 | 0.9 | $28.50 | $30.08 | 5.5% |
| Lewiston-Auburn | 35.1 | 33.7 | -1.4 | $28.00 | $29.52 | 5.4% |
| Portland-S Portland | 33.2 | 32.5 | -0.7 | $33.05 | $34.06 | 3.1% |
May workforce estimates will be published Tuesday, June 25 at 10 a.m. The data release schedule is here.
Nonfarm jobs data is available here.
Unemployment and labor force data is available here.
Notes:
- Preliminary seasonally-adjusted labor force estimates, including rates (labor force participation, employment, and unemployment rates), and levels (labor force, employed, and unemployed), as well as nonfarm wage and salary job estimates are inexact. Annual revisions (published in March each year) add accuracy. A comparison of 2022 and 2023 revised and previously published estimates is available in this blog.
- The 90 percent confidence interval for the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was between 2.4 and 3.8 percent.
- Nonfarm wage and salary jobs from the payroll survey provide a better indication of changes in employment than resident employment from the household survey. The payroll survey is larger and has smaller margins of error.
- Nonfarm payroll jobs estimates tend to be variable from month to month because the representativeness of reporting employers can differ. Seasonal adjustment is imperfect because weather, the beginning and ending of school semesters, and other events do not always occur with the same timing relative to the pay period that includes the 12th day of the month, which is the survey reference period. This sometimes exacerbates monthly changes in jobs estimates. Users should look to the trend over multiple months rather than the change from one specific month to another. Jobs estimates for the period from April 2023 to September 2024 will be replaced with payroll data in March 2024. Those benchmark revisions usually show less monthly variability than previously published estimates.
Microsoft Office Converters and Viewers (Excel, Word and PowerPoint)