Employment in Maine's York County decreased 0.7 percent from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Michael G. Phinney noted that employment in Cumberland County rose 0.1 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Between the two largest counties in Maine, employment was higher in Cumberland (194,600) than in York (81,700) in September 2025. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 41.9 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

Both of Maine’s large counties reported average weekly wage increases over the year. Cumberland had a wage increase of 6.5 percent, and York had a gain of 4.4 percent.

Average weekly wages in both Cumberland ($1,363) and York ($1,207) were below the national average of $1,459.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 14 small counties in Maine, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 14 smaller counties were below the national average. Sagadahoc reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,293). Piscataquis reported the lowest average weekly wage ($935) in the state.

Among all 16 Maine counties, 2 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,000, 5 had wages from $1,000 to $1,049, 4 had wages from $1,050 to $1,099, and 5 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)