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 Area • Bangor Metropolitan Area • Belfast LMA • Boothbay Harbor LMA • Bridgton-Paris LMA • Brunswick LMA • Calais LMA • Camden LMA • Conway, NH-ME LMA (Maine portion) • Dover-Foxcroft LMA • Ellsworth LMA • Farmington LMA • Houlton LMA • Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Area • Lincoln LMA • Machias LMA • Madawaska LMA • Millinocket LMA • Pittsfield LMA • Portland-South Portland-Biddeford Metropolitan Area • Portsmouth, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion) • Presque Isle LMA • Rochester-Dover, NH-ME Metropolitan Area (Maine portion) • Rockland Micropolitan Area • Rumford LMA • Saint George LMA • Sanford Micropolitan • Skowhegan LMA • Waldoboro LMA • Waterville Micropolitan Area • York LMA • Isolated Towns • Augusta-Waterville Combined • Portland-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