AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine labor officials say the unemployment rate in the state remained low in November, and dipped by nearly a percentage point over the course of the year.

The Maine Department of Labor says the preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8% in November was unchanged from October and down from 3.5% a year ago.

The state’s unemployment rate has been less than 4% for nearly four years.

Maine’s unemployment rate was less than the U.S. average of 3.5%, which was about the same as the nationwide rate was in October.