Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Portland fell 0.0 percentage points in December 2011 to 5.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the Maine rate. The unemployment rate in Portland peaked in August 2009 at 7.1% and is now 1.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.8% in November 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Portland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Maine	7.0%	0.0	-0.5
Portland	5.8%	0.0	-0.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Portland, Maine, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Portland, Maine Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Portland peaked in October 2009 at 14,425. There are now 2,695 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Portland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Portland, Maine) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Portland	11,730	-167	-824

Number of Unemployed Persons

Portland, Maine Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Maine Unemployment Rate	Portland Unemployment Rate	Portland Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	7.0%	5.8%	11,730
November 2011	8.7%	7.0%	5.8%	11,897
October 2011	8.9%	7.3%	6.0%	12,187
September 2011	9.0%	7.5%	6.0%	12,298
August 2011	9.1%	7.6%	6.0%	12,284
July 2011	9.1%	7.7%	6.1%	12,462
June 2011	9.1%	7.8%	6.2%	12,748
May 2011	9.0%	7.7%	6.2%	12,694
April 2011	9.0%	7.6%	6.1%	12,511
March 2011	8.9%	7.6%	6.1%	12,367
February 2011	9.0%	7.5%	6.0%	12,266
January 2011	9.1%	7.5%	6.1%	12,383