Maine’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.2 percent in January, according to preliminary data from the Maine Department of Labor.

That rate compares with 5.5 percent in December and 6.0 percent from a year ago.

The national rate of 5.7 percent was little changed from December’s 5.6 percent and down from 6.6 percent one year ago.

The New England January unemployment rate averaged 5.3 percent. Rates for other states were 4.0 percent in New Hampshire, 4.1 percent in Vermont, 5.1 percent in Massachusetts, 6.5 percent in Rhode Island, and 6.3 percent in Connecticut.

In raw numbers, unemployed Mainers declined by 6,400 to 38,000, according to the state. The employment-to-population ratio estimate of 60.1 percent remained above the U.S. average (59.3 percent) for the 88th consecutive month.