Labor Force
Maine’s labor force grew 1.8% to 705,000 in 2024.
No significant movement since the last available data
Benchmark: Maine’s labor force will increase to 710,000 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. In 2024, there were approximately 705,000 people in Maine’s labor force, up 1.8% since 2023 and almost 8,000 above pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, the overall number of nonfarm payroll jobs exceeded pre-pandemic levels thanks to gains in professional and business services, construction, and health care. Jobs in leisure and hospitality nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, while jobs in wholesale trade and manufacturing were below them.
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. Even before the pandemic, this was contributing to a slow decline in Maine’s labor force. While it is too soon to say whether the recent gains are permanent, they suggest that Maine may be attracting more working-age people from other states and countries, retaining more of the young people born here, and/or having more individuals 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, 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics