Maine's jobless rate edged up a tenth of a percentage point in September to 3.3 percent.
Maine Department of Labor economist Glenn Mills notes that it has stayed below 4 percent for a record 34 consecutive months. He says that over the last 3 years, the average annual wage per job in Maine increased at the fastest rate for any 3 year span since 2001.
“Salaried people are earning more and hourly people typically are getting more hours, as well,” Mills says. “So it's playing out positively for both parts of the workforce.”
Mills says Maine has seen some growth in the manufacturing sector, with jobs created in industries such as chemical manufacturing, ship building and aircraft parts.