Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Maine
Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as bandy around the idea of a by 2023. The last economic recession鈥攖he Great Recession of 2008-2010鈥攕ent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate , ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.
To that end, compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Maine using data from the . Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.
#16. Sagadahoc County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 18,640 (502 unemployed)
#15. Cumberland County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 163,020 (4,641 unemployed)
#14. York County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 111,080 (3,112 unemployed)
#13. Lincoln County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 16,368 (479 unemployed)
#12. Hancock County
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 28,885 (863 unemployed)
#11. Kennebec County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 59,738 (1,886 unemployed)
#10. Waldo County
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 19,891 (641 unemployed)
#9. Knox County
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 19,123 (622 unemployed)
#8. Androscoggin County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 53,271 (1,786 unemployed)
#7. Penobscot County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 74,593 (2,541 unemployed)
#6. Franklin County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 13,254 (512 unemployed)
#5. Oxford County
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 25,179 (971 unemployed)
#4. Aroostook County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 27,418 (1,128 unemployed)
#3. Piscataquis County
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 7,163 (296 unemployed)
#2. Washington County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 12,840 (565 unemployed)
#1. Somerset County
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 21,479 (983 unemployed)
