PORTLAND, Maine — Census data indicates Maine, already the poorest state in New England, saw the nation's biggest drop in household income last year.
The Portland Press Herald reports that household incomes dropped 3.3% from 2017 to 2018 based on the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The figures show household income in Maine declined from $57,486 in 2017 to $55,602 in 2018.
Economists said Maine's aging population likely played a role as more workers transitioned from jobs into retirement, with more limited income. But the economists also caution that American Community Survey was based on a limited sample size.
John Dorrer, a labor market economist, said there's a long-term trend underway as workers retire. Maine's median age of 44.9 years is the oldest in the country.
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