PORTLAND, Maine — State labor officials say Maine’s unemployment rate fell slightly to 4 percent in December to reach its lowest point since 2001.
The preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down from 4.1 percent in November and 5.5 percent a year ago. The number of unemployed people declined over the course of the year by 11,200 to 26,800.
The nationwide unemployment rate of 5 percent was the same as November and down from 5.6 percent a year ago. New England’s unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.