Top Eight Employers In Maine

The unemployment rate in Maine is at 4percent, compared to the national 4.9 percent rate. While jobs have been lost in many paper mills, there are plenty of jobs out there. Let's take a look at the eight largest employers in Maine.

1. MaineHealth: They are ranked among the top 100 healthcare networks in the nation and are the top employer in the state.

2. Hannaford Bros.: The supermarket chain is based in Scarborough and was established in 1883. They have 189 stores throughout New England.

3. Walmart/Sam's Club: The retails giant is also a giant employer in Maine. They have about 20 locations in the state and employee around 10,000 Mainers.

4. Maine Medical Center: The Portland hospital has more than 6,000 people working in some aspect at the facility.

5. Bath Iron Works: They have been building private, commerical and military vessels since 1884.

6. L.L.Bean: Based in Freeport, the Maine retailer now has branched out natioanlly with 42 stores and has around 5,000 employees. The company factor in Brunswick employs 450 workers.

7. Eastern Maine Medical Center: It's the states second largest hospital with a staff of around 3,000.

8. Central Maine Medical Center: This Lewiston hospital has about 250 beds and over 300 physicians.

It's clear to see that healthcare is a growing industry. I was surprised not to see Cianbro on the list.