AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Labor Department says the state’s unemployment rate dropped by 0.3 percentage point in September to 7.7 percent.

Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said Thursday the preliminary figure compares favorably to the national unemployment rate of 9.6 percent in September.

It also reflects an unemployed total of 53,100 workers, down 4,100 from a year ago.

Unemployment rates were lower in city areas than in rural areas.

Copy the Story Link