Greater Portland again tops Maine’s metro regions in job growth

RECENTLY released data from the BLS* shows that nearly half of the jobs created in Maine from September 2013 to September 2014 occurred in Maine’s largest metro; continuing a trend in Maine that is also occurring nationally where job growth and metro size are correlated.

The report showed that over the year, Maine added 8,500 jobs, with 4,100 of those occurring the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford area; as increase of 2.1% for the metro area.  Maine’s two other metro areas saw much more tepid employment growth, with Bangor seeing just 100 new jobs, and Lewiston-Auburn seeing just 400.

Since the onset of the recession in December 2007, only the Greater Portland metro has seen job gains.  That area has seen jobs increase from 198,300 to 202,700.  Meanwhile, Bangor is down from 67,400 to 66,500, as is Lewiston-Auburn, down 50,000 to 49,500.

*The figures are not seasonally adjusted

 

John Haskell

About John Haskell

John graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in Political Science, and from the University of Maine School of Law. He has worked in both the public and private sectors, and currently, works with a small business services company in the Mid-Coast area.