Labor Force
Maine’s labor force grew 1% to 687,000 in 2023 but remains a serious challenge.
No significant movement since the last available data
Benchmark: Maine’s labor force will increase to 700,000 by 2030.
Overview
Estimates of Maine’s labor force come from household surveys and are subject to revision, so these numbers should be interpreted with that in mind. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine’s labor force shrank by about 26,000. It is slowly regaining those workers. In 2023, there were approximately 687,000 in Maine’s labor force. That is an increase of 1% since 2022, but still about 6,000 below pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the overall number of nonfarm payroll jobs exceeded pre-pandemic levels thanks to gains in professional and business services, construction, and retail trade. Jobs in government and health and social services returned to pre-pandemic levels, while jobs in leisure and hospitality are still recovering.
A skilled labor force is essential for a healthy economy. As baby boomers retire, the ranks of working-age Mainers are shrinking. Furthermore, many young people are delaying entering the labor force to pursue education and training opportunities. This has contributed to a slow decline in Maine’s labor force, which preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. To counter these trends, Maine must attract more working-age people from other states and countries, retain more of the young people born here, and help more Mainers participate in the workforce.
Fig. A
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Maine's Labor Force
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Fig. B
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Employment Growth in Maine by Selected Sectors, 2019-2022
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics