Date:
We have a few updates to share this month:
New Data Points Added to the Socioeconomic Data Dashboard
We've expanded our Socioeconomic Data Dashboard with several new data points, available by race, ethnicity, and overall population. Labor force and unemployment figures are focused on ages 16-64 for a more accurate picture of working-age participation:
- Labor force participation (ages 16–64)
- Unemployment rates (ages 16–64)
- Homeownership rates
- Percent with a bachelor's degree or higher
- Share of foreign-born population
We've also added definitions for each of these new variables – check out the Resources section and look for the information icon near the Variables filter to explore.
Taxable Retail Sales Data – Revised
Taxable retail sales figures for January 2022-December 2025 have been revised in the Maine Revenues Service’s Economic Summary Area (ESA) reports to correct an issue where some sales were linked to the wrong ESA due to inaccurate location codes on certain accounts. As always, updated taxable sales data are available in our Build Your Own Datasheet Tool on or about the 15th day of each month as they are published – keep in mind there’s a two-month lag in the reporting.
In case you missed it:
State Economist Amanda Rector and Senior Research Analyst Megan Bailey recently published “Are We There Yet? Changing Migration Patterns in Rural Maine and Implications for Long-Term Population Growth” in the Maine Policy Review, Vol. 34, Issue 2 Rural Maine.
This study models three migration scenarios to consider what rural Maine’s population future could look like. If recent growth persists, it could help ease workforce shortages and revitalize communities long challenged by demographic and economic decline. If it proves temporary, rural Maine may continue to grapple with an aging population and shrinking labor force, exacerbating socioeconomic pressures. It’s a timely analysis with real implications for the state.