Maine Department of Labor reported an uptick of 0.3% in the unemployment rate in its August report.

Overall, the unemployment rate in Maine remains steady, and still below regional and national levels.

According to figures released Friday, the unemployment rate stood at 3.1%, an increase over the 2.8% reported in July. 

Maine’s rate remains lower than New England’s overall rate of 3.4% and the national rate of  3.7%.

"Unemployment was modestly higher and labor force participation and employment rates remained below those that prevailed shortly before the pandemic,” reads a news release from the department.

Despite the slight increase, the department reported the overall number of jobs and unemployment rate in Maine has remained relatively steady since May. The trend follows a period of recovery from record-low job availability levels and record-high unemployment following the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Non-seasonably-adjusted unemployment rates per county ranged from a low of 2.5% in Cumberland, Sagadahoc and York counties to highs of 4.1% and 4.3%  in Somerset and Washington counties.

It’s too early to estimate the seasonal adjustment of college and high school students leaving their jobs to go back to fall classes, said Glenn Mills, deputy director of the department’s center for workforce research.