HELENA – Montana’s unemployment rate declined slightly by one-tenth of a percent to 4.0 percent in November.  The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 5.0 percent.

“Montana workers and their families can have more cheer this holiday season with lower unemployment and higher wages than this time last year,” Governor Steve Bullock said.  “I remain committed to working with businesses and communities to continue our economic prosperity in the upcoming year.”

“The holiday season is expected to be a joyful one for Montana’s businesses and workers,” said Labor & Industry Commissioner Pam Bucy. “We must continue to pursue policies designed to expand the size and quality of our workforce in order to match our wage and employment growth of the last few years.  As our population ages and the labor market tightens, a quality workforce remains critical to growth.”

Both total employment and payroll employment levels showed little change over the month.  Total employment estimates, which include agricultural and self-employed workers along with payroll workers, indicate a statistically insignificant gain of 176 jobs.  Payroll employment indicated no gain over the month, with fewer retail jobs and more construction jobs than usual for November.  Employment growth during 2015 remains quite strong, with a 2.1% increase in employment over the last year compared to the long-term average of about 1%. 

 

** Statewide unemployment figures are seasonally-adjusted.  Seasonally-adjusted numbers remove the effects of events that follow a more or less regular month-to-month pattern each year. These adjustments make nonseasonal patterns easier to identify. The margin of error for the unemployment rate is plus or minus 0.5 percentage points at the 90 percent confidence level. All questions relating to the calculation of unemployment rates should be directed to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry’s Research and Analysis Bureau at 1-800-541-3904.

 

The next Labor Situation Report for the month of December 2015 will be released on Friday, January 22, 2016. 

 

****** INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET ******

Visit our website at www.lmi.mt.gov for additional information and analysis, including industry employment levels, background on the unemployment rate, and wage rates by occupation.  This month’s Economy at a Glance discusses the provision of paid family leave by Montana employers.

 

****** COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ******

The unemployment rate and ranking for each of Montana’s 56 counties is provided below for your convenience.  County unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted and should be compared to the unadjusted statewide unemployment rate of 4.0%. 

 

		Unemployment Rate		Employment
Rank	County	Current Unemployment Rate	Change over Year	Current Employment	Job Change from Last Year
1	McCone County	1.7	-0.8	1,065	-27
2	Liberty County	2.3	-0.4	922	-45
2	Sheridan County	2.3	0	2,000	11
4	Carter County	2.5	-0.5	623	-31
4	Powder River County	2.5	0.1	1,011	-40
6	Custer County	2.6	-0.6	6,321	-35
7	Fallon County	2.7	1.1	2,073	13
7	Sweet Grass County	2.7	-0.5	1,752	22
9	Daniels County	2.8	-0.9	887	-27
9	Dawson County	2.8	0.6	4,842	55
9	Richland County	2.8	1	7,513	238
9	Valley County	2.8	0.3	4,327	78
13	Lewis and Clark County	3	-0.6	34,515	492
13	Yellowstone County	3	-0.5	80,662	2,668
15	Chouteau County	3.1	0.2	2,471	-78
15	Garfield County	3.1	0.8	682	-35
17	Gallatin County	3.3	-0.6	57,615	2,578
18	Beaverhead County	3.4	0	4,667	-8
18	Toole County	3.4	0.4	2,232	-18
20	Judith Basin County	3.6	0	915	-43
20	Missoula County	3.6	-0.6	59,339	1,507
22	Carbon County	3.7	0	5,409	119
22	Stillwater County	3.7	-0.2	4,889	45
24	Fergus County	3.8	-0.8	5,464	-52
24	Pondera County	3.8	-0.7	2,661	-64
24	Teton County	3.8	0	2,775	-41
27	Hill County	3.9	-1.1	7,327	-69
27	Jefferson County	3.9	-0.4	5,470	58
27	Wibaux County	3.9	1.3	539	6
30	Cascade County	4	-0.3	36,809	-67
31	Meagher County	4.1	0	863	-24
31	Petroleum County	4.1	0.1	280	-9
33	Deer Lodge County	4.2	-0.2	5,091	98
33	Golden Valley County	4.2	-0.7	387	2
33	Madison County	4.2	-0.7	3,472	-47
33	Silver Bow County	4.2	-0.4	16,145	-16
37	Roosevelt County	4.3	-0.4	4,622	15
38	Phillips County	4.4	0.1	1,862	-52
39	Musselshell County	4.5	0.9	2,343	7
40	Powell County	4.6	-0.2	2,817	34
40	Prairie County	4.6	1	479	-31
42	Blaine County	4.7	-0.4	2,271	-12
42	Lake County	4.7	-0.8	11,931	238
44	Broadwater County	4.8	0	2,404	19
44	Ravalli County	4.8	-1.1	18,177	301
46	Treasure County	5.1	0.9	319	-20
47	Rosebud County	5.4	0.2	3,759	-128
48	Big Horn County	5.6	-2.5	5,242	60
48	Park County	5.6	-1.3	7,773	363
50	Flathead County	5.9	-0.6	41,465	1,149
50	Wheatland County	5.9	2.1	716	-65
52	Granite County	6	-1	1,486	91
53	Sanders County	8	-0.6	4,296	18
54	Glacier County	8.8	-3.2	4,822	-78
55	Mineral County	9	0.1	1,615	41
56	Lincoln County	9.2	-1.3	7,232	139

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

****** RESERVATION UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ******

The unemployment rate and ranking for each of Montana’s seven reservations is provided below for your convenience.  Reservation unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted and should be compared to the unadjusted statewide unemployment rate of 4.0%.  Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.

 

		Unemployment Rate		Employment
Rank	Reservation	Current Unemployment	Change over Year	Current Employment	Job Change from Last Year
		Rate
1	Flathead	5.1	-0.8	11,710	224
2	Fort Peck	5.3	-0.5	4,166	18
3	Crow	8.6	-3.7	2,626	35
4	Fort Belknap	10.5	-0.8	747	-5
5	Rocky Boy's	11.6	-1.9	1,067	-17
6	Blackfeet	12	-4	3,432	-58
7	Northern Cheyenne	12.3	-0.5	1,366	-23

 

 

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