Unemployment in Maine's three urban areas continued to be low in February. Figures released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show Bangor had a jobless rate of 3.4 percent, Lewiston-Auburn 3 percent and Portland-South Portland 2.5 percent. All three areas were below the comparable rate for the nation as a whole in February; that figure was 4.4 percent.
While Bangor's unemployment rate rose .1 percent last month, all three metro areas now have jobless rates more than a half-percentage point lower than they did in February 2017.
Such low unemployment figures are generally a sign of a healthy economy. But, in Maine, they are also pointing toward a shortage of workers, caused by the state's aging population and lack of new births or immigrants. Some economists believe that worker shortage could lead to slower economic growth for the state in the years ahead.
Nationally, the BLS reported unemployment rates have fallen in the past year in 319 of 388 metropolitan areas. Unemployment was higher in 48 urban areas and unchanged in 21 areas.
Portland-South Portland, at 2.5 percent, was one of just 28 metro areas in the country with jobless rates below 3 percent. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate at 1.8 percent. El Centro, Calif. had the highest unemployment rate, at 16 percent.
