New data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that racial disparities regarding employment persist across the country, including in Maine. This is a topic which doesn’t tend to get a lot of attention in Maine, due to its relatively small African-American and Latino populations. However, these populations are growing every year, and making Maine a welcoming place for newcomers, especially people of color, is essential for Maine to grow its workforce and population in the coming years.
The data show that while Maine’s white population experiences an unemployment rate of 4.0%, the unemployment rate among African-Americans is two and half times that, and Latinos have an unemployment three times that of the white population. This adds an important dimension to the narrative of “full employment” in Maine.
Use the interactive chart below to compare the unemployment rates across states and population groups. Data for some states are not available, due to the small population size of some ethnic groups in those states.
