AUGUSTA — Maine’s unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in August, unchanged from July and up only slightly from 7.5 percent a year ago.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 54,000 were unemployed, up 1,100 over the year.

“This report is further evidence that job growth in Maine is non-existent. While the unemployment rate for August is unchanged from July, an additional 2,763 people have joined the ranks of the unemployed over the last four months and another 4,464 people have dropped out of the labor force,” said Garrett Martin, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy.

The unemployment rate in Maine was below the U.S. rate of 8.1 percent, which was down from 8.3 percent in July and 9.1 percent a year ago.

The unemployment rate for New England was 7.3 percent. Maine’s unemployment rate exceeded the 5.3 percent rate in Vermont, but below the 10.7 percent rate in Rhode Island.

The not-seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in August, unchanged from a year ago. Rates ranged from 5.4 percent in Lincoln and Knox counties to 9.6 percent in Washington county.