AUGUSTA — State labor officials say Maine’s unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.5 percent in August.

The state’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in July and 5.6 percent in Augusta 2014. The figures are seasonally adjusted. The number of employed also declined 8,200 over the year to 31,100.

Maine’s employment to population ratio of 60.2 percent was above the national average of 59.4 percent. That has been the case for nearly eight years.

The preliminary national unemployment rate of 5.1 percent was down from 5.3 in July and 6.1 percent a year ago. New England’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent. The highest unemployment rate in the region was in Rhode Island at 5.6 percent while the lowest rates were in New Hampshire and Vermont at 3.6 percent.