PORTLAND — Maine’s unemployment rate has declined to its lowest point in more than nine years.

State officials say the preliminary seasonally adjusted rate of 4.4 percent for September was down slightly from the 4.5 percent rate for August. It’s the lowest unemployment rate since April 2006.

The number of unemployed people declined 8,800 over the year to 30,200.

The nationwide unemployment rate of 5.1 percent was the same as the previous month and down from 5.9 percent a year ago. New England’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.

State officials say the estimate of the employment to population ratio of 59.9 percent was also the lowest in more than three years. The U.S. average was 59.2 percent.

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