PORTLAND — Maine labor officials say the state’s unemployment rate declined to 5.2 percent in January.

State Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette released preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment figures for January that show the figure fell from 5.5 percent in December and 6 percent a year ago. The commissioner also says the number of unemployed fell 6,400 over the year to 38,000.

The national preliminary unemployment rate was 5.7 percent for January. It was 5.6 percent in December and 6.6 percent one year ago. New England’s unemployment rate was 5.3 percent for the month.

State labor officials say Maine’s employment to population ratio of 60.1 percent stayed above the U.S. average for the 88th consecutive month. The national average was 59.3 percent.