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Labor Market Area Definitions

Labor market areas are the basic substate geographic area used to develop employment and unemployment estimates. The Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget are the major labor market areas. The smaller labor market areas are defined independently by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas were defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget based on new standards and Census 2000 data. Metropolitan Areas have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. Micropolitan Areas – a new set of statistical areas – have at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. For New England, as in the past, cities, towns, and unincorporated places were used to build the areas. The rest of the nation’s statistical areas used counties as building blocks.

The smaller labor market areas were defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Census 2000 commuting data was used to determine the degree of economic integration among the cities, towns, and unincorporated areas not included in the major labor market areas.

Labor force estimates (employment, unemployment, and the unemployment rate) will be developed for 31 labor market areas in Maine compared to 35 previously, as well as for four towns not attached to a labor market. These 31 areas include Metropolitan, Micropolitan, and small labor market areas. Three of these areas combine parts of Maine with parts of New Hampshire. Labor force estimates will be published for two combined areas as well. The combined areas consist of adjacent Metropolitan and/or Micropolitan Areas meeting specific criteria. For geographical definitions of areas, please see below.

Maine Labor Market Areas

Augusta Micropolitan AreaBangor Metropolitan AreaBelfast LMABoothbay Harbor LMABridgton-Paris LMABrunswick LMACalais LMACamden LMAConway, NH-ME LMA (Maine portion)Dover-Foxcroft LMAEllsworth LMAFarmington LMAHoulton LMALewiston-Auburn Metropolitan AreaLincoln LMAMachias LMAMadawaska LMAMillinocket LMAPittsfield LMAPortland-South Portland-Biddeford Metropolitan AreaPortsmouth, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion)Presque Isle LMARochester-Dover, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion)Rockland Micropolitan AreaRumford LMASaint George LMASanford MicropolitanSkowhegan LMAWaldoboro LMAWaterville Micropolitan AreaYork LMAIsolated TownsAugusta-Waterville CombinedPortland-South Portland-Sanford Combined

Augusta Micropolitan Area
236    Augusta
237    Belgrade
239    Chelsea
240    China
242    Farmingdale
244    Gardiner
245    Hallowell
246    Litchfield
247    Manchester
249    Mount Vernon
635    Palermo
251    Pittston
252    Randolph
253    Readfield
254    Rome
255    Sidney
302    Somerville
256    Vassalboro
259    Wayne
260    West Gardiner
307    Whitefield
261    Windsor
263    Winthrop

Belfast LMA
620    Belfast
621    Belmont
622    Brooks
625    Freedom
626    Islesboro
627    Jackson
628    Knox
629    Liberty
631    Monroe
632    Montville
633    Morrill
634    Northport
637    Searsmont
638    Searsport
639    Stockton Springs
640    Swanville
641    Thorndike
643    Unity
644    Waldo

Boothbay Harbor LMA
291    Boothbay
292    Boothbay Harbor
297    Edgecomb
304    Southport

Brunswick LMA
112    Brunswick
120    Harpswell
296    Dresden
306    Westport
308    Wiscasset
510    Arrowsic
511    Bath
512    Bowdoin
513    Bowdoinham
514    Georgetown
520    Perkins unorganized
515    Phippsburg
516    Richmond
517    Topsham
518    West Bath
519    Woolwich

Conway, NH-ME LMA (Maine portion)
321    Denmark
323    Fryeburg
317    Brownfield
331    Lovell
343    Stow
345    Sweden

Dover-Foxcroft LMA
455    Abbott
456    Atkinson
485    Beaver Cove
458    Blanchard unorganized
459    Bowerbank
460    Brownville
529    Cambridge
388    Dexter
461    Dover-Foxcroft
463    Greenville
464    Guilford
466    Lake View Plantation
467    Medford
468    Milo
469    Monson
----    Northwest Piscataquis unorganized
470    Parkman
550    Ripley
471    Sangerville
472    Sebec
473    Shirley
----    Southeast Piscataquis unorganized
475    Willimantic

Farmington LMA
140    Avon
141    Carrabassett Valley
----    Central Somerset unorganized
143    Chesterville
144    Coplin Plantation
145    Dallas Plantation
----    East Central Franklin unorganized
146    Eustis
147    Farmington
243    Fayette
148    Industry
149    Jay
150    Kingfield
008    Livermore Falls
151    Madrid
545    New Portland
152    New Sharon
153    New Vineyard
----    North Franklin unorganized
154    Phillips
155    Rangeley
156    Rangeley Plantation
157    Sandy River Plantation
----    South Franklin unorganized
158    Strong
159    Temple
257    Vienna
160    Weld
----    West Central Franklin unorganized
161    Wilton
188    Wyman

Houlton LMA
016    Amity
018    Bancroft
023    Cary Plantation
027    Crystal
666    Danforth
029    Dyer Brook
040    Hammond Plantation
041    Haynesville
042    Hersey
043    Hodgdon
044    Houlton
045    Island Falls
444    Kingman unorganized
047    Linneus
048    Littleton
049    Ludlow
050    Macwahoc Plantation
056    Monticello
057    Moro Plantation
419    Mount Chase Plantation
060    New Limerick
062    Oakfield
063    Orient
426    Patten
068    Reed Plantation
072    Sherman
073    Smyrna
431    Stacyville
081    Weston

Lincoln LMA
380    Burlington
382    Carroll Plantation
384    Chester
390    Drew
409    Lakeville
410    Lee
412    Lincoln
428    Prentiss
430    Springfield
454    Twombly unorganized
434    Webster
450    Whitney unorganized
435    Winn

Madawaska LMA
035    Frenchville
038    Grand Isle
051    Madawaska
069    Saint Agatha

Millinocket LMA
391    East Millinocket
037    Glenwood Plantation
414    Mattawamkeag
416    Medway
418    Millinocket
----    Northeast Piscataquis unorganized
----    North Penobscot unorganized
429    Seboeis Plantation
----    South Aroostook unorganized
436    Woodville

Pittsfield LMA
623    Burnham
386    Corinna
534    Detroit
537    Harmony
538    Hartland
465    Kingsbury Plantation
547    Palmyra
548    Pittsfield
551    Saint Albans
642    Troy
474    Wellington

Portsmouth, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion)
723    Eliot
727    Kittery

Presque Isle LMA
015    Allagash
017    Ashland
020    Blaine
021    Bridgewater
022    Caribou
024    Castle Hill
025    Caswell Plantation
----    Central Aroostook unorganized
026    Chapman
085    Connor
028    Cyr
031    Eagle Lake
032    Easton
033    Fort Fairfield
034    Fort Kent
036    Garfield
039    Hamlin
046    Limestone
052    Mapleton
053    Mars Hill
054    Masardis
055    Merrill
058    Nashville Plantation
059    New Canada Plantation
061    New Sweden
----    Northwest Aroostook unorganized
064    Oxbow Plantation
065    Perham
066    Portage Lake
067    Presque Isle
070    Saint Francis
071    Saint John
----    Square Lake unorganized
074    Stockholm
075    Van Buren
076    Wade
077    Wallagrass Plantation
078    Washburn
079    Westfield
080    Westmanland
082    Winterville Plantation
083    Woodland

Rumford LMA
315    Andover
316    Bethel
319    Byron
320    Canton
142    Carthage
322    Dixfield
324    Gilead
325    Greenwood
326    Hanover
330    Lincoln Plantation
332    Magalloway Plantation
333    Mexico
361    Milton unorganized
334    Newry
----    North Oxford unorganized
338    Peru
340    Roxbury
341    Rumford
346    Upton
349    Woodstock

Waldoboro LMA
290    Alna
293    Bremen
294    Bristol
295    Damariscotta
273    Friendship
298    Jefferson
299    Monhegan Plantation
300    Newcastle
301    Nobleboro
303    South Bristol
305    Waldoboro

Waterville Micropolitan Area
235    Albion
238    Benton
241    Clinton
536    Fairfield
250    Oakland
264    Unity Unorganized
258    Waterville
262    Winslow

Augusta-Waterville Combined
    Augusta Micropolitan Area
    Waterville Micropolitan Area

Portland-South Portland-Sanford Combined
    Portland-S.Portland-Biddeford Metropolitan Area
    Sanford Micropolitan Area

Bangor Metropolitan Area
375    Alton
190    Amherst
438    Argyle Township unorganized
191    Aurora
376    Bangor
377    Bradford
378    Bradley
379    Brewer
381    Carmel
383    Charleston
385    Clifton
387    Corinth
199    Dedham
389    Dixmont
----    East Central Penobscot unorganized
392    Eddington
393    Edinburg
394    Enfield
395    Etna
396    Exeter
624    Frankfort
397    Garland
398    Glenburn
400    Greenbush
402    Hampden
403    Hermon
404    Holden
405    Howland
406    Hudson
407    Kenduskeag
408    Lagrange
411    Levant
413    Lowell
415    Maxfield
417    Milford
420    Newburg
421    Newport
422    Old Town
423    Orono
424    Orrington
425    Passadumkeag
437    Penobscot Indian Island Reservation
427    Plymouth
432    Stetson
433    Veazie
645    Winterport

Bridgton-Paris LMA
111    Bridgton
121    Harrison
335    Norway
314    Otisfield
336    Oxford
337    Paris
----    South Oxford unorganized
342    Stoneham
347    Waterford
348    West Paris

Calais LMA
651    Alexander
652    Baileyville
653    Baring
656    Calais
658    Charlotte
660    Codyville Plantation
663    Cooper
664    Crawford
670    Eastport
671    Grand Lake Stream Plantation
679    Meddybemps
----    North Washington unorganized
709    Passamaquoddy Indian Township
697    Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Indian Reservation
684    Pembroke
685    Perry
686    Princeton
687    Robbinston
690    Talmadge
691    Topsfield
692    Vanceboro
693    Waite

Camden LMA
270    Appleton
271    Camden
309    Hibberts Gore
274    Hope
630    Lincolnville
277    North Haven
284    Union
285    Vinalhaven
287    Washington

Ellsworth LMA
192    Bar Harbor
655    Beddington
193    Blue Hill
194    Brooklin
195    Brooksville
196    Bucksport
197    Castine
----    Central Hancock unorganized
198    Cranberry Isles
200    Deer Isle
201    Eastbrook
----    East Hancock unorganized
202    Ellsworth
203    Franklin
208    Frenchboro
204    Gouldsboro
205    Great Pond
206    Hancock
207    Lamoine
209    Mariaville
210    Mount Desert
----    Northwest Hancock unorganized
211    Orland
212    Osborn
213    Otis
214    Penobscot
636    Prospect
215    Sedgwick
216    Sorrento
217    Southwest Harbor
689    Steuben
218    Stonington
219    Sullivan
220    Surry
221    Swans Island
222    Tremont
223    Trenton
224    Verona
225    Waltham
226    Winter Harbor

Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Area
001    Auburn
318    Buckfield
003    Greene
327    Hartford
328    Hebron
004    Leeds
005    Lewiston
006    Lisbon
007    Livermore
009    Mechanic Falls
010    Minot
011    Poland
012    Sabattus
344    Sumner
013    Turner
014    Wales

Machias LMA
650    Addison
654    Beals
657    Centerville
659    Cherryfield
661    Columbia
662    Columbia Falls
665    Cutler
667    Deblois
668    Dennysville
----    East Central Washington unorganized
669    East Machias
672    Harrington
673    Jonesboro
674    Jonesport
675    Lubec
676    Machias
677    Machiasport
678    Marshfield
680    Milbridge
681    Northfield
688    Roque Bluffs
694    Wesley
695    Whiting
696    Whitneyville

Portland-South Portland-Biddeford Metropolitan Area
716    Alfred
717    Arundel
110    Baldwin
719    Biddeford
720    Buxton
113    Cape Elizabeth
114    Casco
721    Cornish
115    Cumberland
722    Dayton
116    Falmouth
117    Freeport
136    Frye Island
118    Gorham
119    Gray
329    Hiram
724    Hollis
725    Kennebunk
726    Kennebunkport
729    Limerick
730    Limington
125    Long Island
731    Lyman
122    Naples
123    New Gloucester
124    North Yarmouth
734    Old Orchard Beach
735    Parsonsfield
339    Porter
126    Portland
127    Pownal
128    Raymond
736    Saco
129    Scarborough
130    Sebago
131    South Portland
132    Standish
740    Waterboro
133    Westbrook
134    Windham
135    Yarmouth

Rochester-Dover, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion)
718    Berwick
728    Lebanon
739    South Berwick

Rockland Micropolitan Area
272    Cushing
278    Owls Head
279    Rockland
280    Rockport
282    South Thomaston
283    Thomaston
286    Warren

Saint George LMA
288    Criehaven
275    Isle au Haut
276    Matinicus Isle Plantation
281    Saint George Town

Sanford Micropolitan
737    Sanford
738    Shapleigh

Skowhegan LMA
525    Anson
526    Athens
527    Bingham
528    Brighton Plantation
530    Canaan
531    Caratunk Plantation
532    Cornville
533    Dennistown
535    Embden
539    Highland Plantation
540    Jackman
541    Madison
542    Mercer
543    Moose River
544    Moscow
546    Norridgewock
----    Northeast Somerset unorganized
----    Northwest Somerset unorganized
549    Pleasant Ridge Plantation
----    Seboomook Lake unorganized
552    Skowhegan
553    Smithfield
554    Solon
555    Starks
556    The Forks Plantation
557    West Forks Plantation

York LMA
733    North Berwick
743    Ogunquit
741    Wells
742    York

Isolated Towns
715    Acton
002    Durham
248    Monmouth
732    Newfield