Unemployment down slightly in Maine in October

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine’s unemployment rate fell slightly in October.

The Maine Department of Labor says the preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in October was down 0.2 percentage points from September. It was also slightly down from 3.9 percent a year ago.

Maine’s unemployment rate was lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent and the New England rate of 3.8 percent, which also both dipped slightly from the previous month.

State officials say the unemployment rate was below the state average in three largest metro areas of Maine, which are Portland-South Portland, Lewiston-Auburn and Bangor.