Maine's unemployment rate remains at 5.8 percent in October

Maine officials say that the state's unemployment rate held steady in October at 5.8 percent.

The rate is unchanged from September and is down a percentage point from a year ago.

The Maine Department of Labor said Friday that 40,800 people were unemployed, down 5,300 from last year.

The national unemployed rate was also 5.8 percent last month.

New England's average jobless rate was slightly higher at 5.9 percent. New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states in New England that had a lower unemployment rate than Maine did in October.