June’s preliminary unemployment rate of 2.9 percent in Maine was little changed from May’s rate of 2.8 percent. The figure extends a historic streak of unemployment rates of below 4 percent to 31 months, the longest on record.

The Maine Department of Labor said in a news release that June’s rate was well below the 3.5 percent rate of a year ago. Nationally, the June unemployment rate was 4.0 percent, up from May’s 3.8 percent and down slightly from 4.3 percent of a year ago.

The New England average for June was 3.6 percent, with New Hampshire at 2.7 percent, Vermont 2.8 percent, Massachusetts 3.5 percent, Rhode Island 4.3 percent and Connecticut 4.4 percent.

Unemployment was lowest in Cumberland and Sagadahoc counties at 2.7 percent and highest in Aroostook County, where the rate was 4.7 percent. For the month of June, unemployment rates were the lowest on record in Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, Piscataquis and Washington counties.