AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Labor Department says the state’s unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in March, down significantly from the same period a year ago.

The preliminary seasonally adjusted figure compared to 7.8 percent a year ago. The March rate was virtually unchanged from the month before.

The Labor Department says the number of unemployed was 51,300, down 3,300 from a year ago.

Cumberland County had Maine’s lowest seasonally unadjusted job rate, at 6.6 percent. Washington County had the highest rate, 12.2 percent.