The decline in Maine’s unemployment ranks continued into 2016, with January’s jobless rate coming in at 3.8 percent.

January’s preliminary rate is down slightly from December’s 4.0 percent rate, according to data released Monday by the Maine Department of Labor, and down from 4.9 percent one year ago. It is the lowest unemployment rate in 15 years, contributing to a tight labor market in a state that is essentially at full employment.

Rates were down throughout the state, ranging from 3.2 percent in Cumberland County to 8.0 percent in Washington County.

The raw number of unemployed declined 7,900 over the year to 25,700. There are roughly 673,823 jobs in Maine.

The U.S. preliminary unemployment rate of 4.9 percent was down from 5.7 percent one year ago.

The New England unemployment rate averaged 4.6 percent. Rates for other states were 2.9 percent in New Hampshire, 3.4 percent in Vermont, 4.7 percent in Massachusetts, 5.3 percent in Rhode Island and 5.5 percent in Connecticut, according to the report.

Job gains were primarily in the construction, professional and business services, education, hospitality and finance sectors. The estimate of 99,000 government jobs was down 600 from one year ago.

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