Helena, Mont.—Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent in October with no change over the month. The U.S. unemployment rate declined slightly by one-tenth of a percent over the month to 5.0 percent in October.

“Montana’s economy continued to show strength as we entered the fall,” Governor Steve Bullock said. “With over 10,000 jobs added over the last twelve months, Montanans are on the job and earning higher wages.”

“Montana’s unemployment rate is holding steady at just over four percent, which is considered an ideal level for unemployment,” said Labor & Industry Commissioner Pam Bucy. “The Montana Department of Labor & Industry continues to create innovative partnerships with businesses and educational organizations to recruit and train more workers for our growing worker demand.”

Both total employment and payroll employment levels showed little change over the month. Payroll employment indicated 700 jobs gained over the month, with a few job losses in mining and strong gains in construction. Total employment estimates, which include agricultural and self-employed workers along with payroll workers, indicate a statistically insignificant gain of 102 jobs. Employment growth during 2015 remains quite strong, with a 2.1 percent increase in employment over the last year compared to the long-term average of about 1 percent. 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in October, marking the end of a two-month price slide. Both food and energy indexes increased slightly. The index for all items less food and energy (also called core inflation) rose 0.2 percent in September.

###

** 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 November 2015 will be released on Friday, December 18, 2015. 

 

****** 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 provides information on worker shortages in the occupations that require licensing in Montana.

 

****** 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 3.7 percent.

 

		Unemployment Rate		Employment
Rank	County	Current Unemployment Rate	Change over Year	Current Employment	Job Change from Last Year
1	McCone County	1.7	-0.5	1,084	-49
2	Fallon County	2.1	0.5	2,098	4
2	Sheridan County	2.1	-0.1	2,023	8
4	Liberty County	2.3	-0.1	940	-66
5	Powder River County	2.5	0.2	1,029	-41
6	Sweet Grass County	2.6	-0.7	1,775	-8
6	Valley County	2.6	0.2	4,375	112
8	Chouteau County	2.7	-0.2	2,504	-111
8	Garfield County	2.7	0.5	696	-63
8	Richland County	2.7	0.6	7,585	303
11	Custer County	2.8	0.1	6,378	43
11	Daniels County	2.8	-0.6	900	-32
11	Judith Basin County	2.8	-0.9	933	-43
11	Lewis and Clark County	2.8	-0.4	34,792	699
15	Gallatin County	2.9	-0.5	58,098	2,562
16	Beaverhead County	3	-0.3	4,721	-72
16	Carter County	3	0	636	-53
16	Dawson County	3	0.7	4,890	79
16	Yellowstone County	3	-0.2	79,800	2,416
20	Toole County	3.1	0.4	2,257	-40
21	Fergus County	3.3	-0.2	5,522	-91
21	Teton County	3.3	0.4	2,807	-68
23	Jefferson County	3.4	-0.5	5,519	72
23	Madison County	3.4	-0.8	3,518	-17
23	Missoula County	3.4	-0.3	59,805	1,721
26	Deer Lodge County	3.5	-0.4	5,134	87
26	Wibaux County	3.5	1.1	547	-11
28	Stillwater County	3.6	0.1	4,914	44
29	Carbon County	3.7	0.5	5,372	84
29	Golden Valley County	3.7	0.2	386	-5
29	Meagher County	3.7	0.4	873	-18
29	Phillips County	3.7	0	1,889	-96
33	Hill County	3.8	-1.2	7,396	-92
34	Cascade County	3.9	0.2	36,730	4
34	Pondera County	3.9	-0.4	2,696	-97
34	Prairie County	3.9	0.7	487	-21
34	Silver Bow County	3.9	-0.4	16,276	145
38	Blaine County	4	-0.6	2,302	-82
39	Broadwater County	4.2	-0.1	2,427	19
39	Powell County	4.2	-0.2	2,846	-11
39	Roosevelt County	4.2	-0.1	4,670	26
42	Musselshell County	4.3	0.9	2,358	22
43	Lake County	4.4	-0.5	12,038	142
44	Ravalli County	4.5	-0.7	18,337	299
45	Park County	4.7	-0.4	7,844	142
45	Petroleum County	4.7	0.5	286	-14
47	Wheatland County	4.8	1.5	729	-54
48	Flathead County	5	-0.6	41,811	855
48	Treasure County	5	1.4	323	-22
50	Granite County	5.1	-0.7	1,499	45
51	Big Horn County	5.2	-2.9	5,295	76
51	Rosebud County	5.2	0.1	3,800	-113
53	Sanders County	7	-0.4	4,337	-4
54	Lincoln County	7.6	-1.5	7,298	21
55	Glacier County	8.2	-3.2	4,872	-159
56	Mineral County	8.4	0.8	1,628	14

 

 

 

 

****** 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 3.7 percent. 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	4.7	-0.5	11,814	135
2	Fort Peck	5.3	0	4,211	32
3	Crow	8	-4.3	2,648	41
4	Fort Belknap	9.1	-1.1	758	-28
5	Rocky Boy's	11.1	-2.5	1,078	-24
6	Blackfeet	11.4	-3.9	3,469	-114
7	Northern Cheyenne	11.8	-0.8	1,380	-18

 

Helena, Mont.—Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent in October with no change over the month. The U.S. unemployment rate declined slightly by one-tenth of a percent over the month to 5.0 percent in October.

“Montana’s economy continued to show strength as we entered the fall,” Governor Steve Bullock said. “With over 10,000 jobs added over the last twelve months, Montanans are on the job and earning higher wages.”

“Montana’s unemployment rate is holding steady at just over four percent, which is considered an ideal level for unemployment,” said Labor & Industry Commissioner Pam Bucy. “The Montana Department of Labor & Industry continues to create innovative partnerships with businesses and educational organizations to recruit and train more workers for our growing worker demand.”

Both total employment and payroll employment levels showed little change over the month. Payroll employment indicated 700 jobs gained over the month, with a few job losses in mining and strong gains in construction. Total employment estimates, which include agricultural and self-employed workers along with payroll workers, indicate a statistically insignificant gain of 102 jobs. Employment growth during 2015 remains quite strong, with a 2.1 percent increase in employment over the last year compared to the long-term average of about 1 percent. 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in October, marking the end of a two-month price slide. Both food and energy indexes increased slightly. The index for all items less food and energy (also called core inflation) rose 0.2 percent in September.

###

** 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 November 2015 will be released on Friday, December 18, 2015. 

 

****** 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 provides information on worker shortages in the occupations that require licensing in Montana.

 

****** 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 3.7 percent.

 

		Unemployment Rate		Employment
Rank	County	Current Unemployment Rate	Change over Year	Current Employment	Job Change from Last Year
1	McCone County	1.7	-0.5	1,084	-49
2	Fallon County	2.1	0.5	2,098	4
2	Sheridan County	2.1	-0.1	2,023	8
4	Liberty County	2.3	-0.1	940	-66
5	Powder River County	2.5	0.2	1,029	-41
6	Sweet Grass County	2.6	-0.7	1,775	-8
6	Valley County	2.6	0.2	4,375	112
8	Chouteau County	2.7	-0.2	2,504	-111
8	Garfield County	2.7	0.5	696	-63
8	Richland County	2.7	0.6	7,585	303
11	Custer County	2.8	0.1	6,378	43
11	Daniels County	2.8	-0.6	900	-32
11	Judith Basin County	2.8	-0.9	933	-43
11	Lewis and Clark County	2.8	-0.4	34,792	699
15	Gallatin County	2.9	-0.5	58,098	2,562
16	Beaverhead County	3	-0.3	4,721	-72
16	Carter County	3	0	636	-53
16	Dawson County	3	0.7	4,890	79
16	Yellowstone County	3	-0.2	79,800	2,416
20	Toole County	3.1	0.4	2,257	-40
21	Fergus County	3.3	-0.2	5,522	-91
21	Teton County	3.3	0.4	2,807	-68
23	Jefferson County	3.4	-0.5	5,519	72
23	Madison County	3.4	-0.8	3,518	-17
23	Missoula County	3.4	-0.3	59,805	1,721
26	Deer Lodge County	3.5	-0.4	5,134	87
26	Wibaux County	3.5	1.1	547	-11
28	Stillwater County	3.6	0.1	4,914	44
29	Carbon County	3.7	0.5	5,372	84
29	Golden Valley County	3.7	0.2	386	-5
29	Meagher County	3.7	0.4	873	-18
29	Phillips County	3.7	0	1,889	-96
33	Hill County	3.8	-1.2	7,396	-92
34	Cascade County	3.9	0.2	36,730	4
34	Pondera County	3.9	-0.4	2,696	-97
34	Prairie County	3.9	0.7	487	-21
34	Silver Bow County	3.9	-0.4	16,276	145
38	Blaine County	4	-0.6	2,302	-82
39	Broadwater County	4.2	-0.1	2,427	19
39	Powell County	4.2	-0.2	2,846	-11
39	Roosevelt County	4.2	-0.1	4,670	26
42	Musselshell County	4.3	0.9	2,358	22
43	Lake County	4.4	-0.5	12,038	142
44	Ravalli County	4.5	-0.7	18,337	299
45	Park County	4.7	-0.4	7,844	142
45	Petroleum County	4.7	0.5	286	-14
47	Wheatland County	4.8	1.5	729	-54
48	Flathead County	5	-0.6	41,811	855
48	Treasure County	5	1.4	323	-22
50	Granite County	5.1	-0.7	1,499	45
51	Big Horn County	5.2	-2.9	5,295	76
51	Rosebud County	5.2	0.1	3,800	-113
53	Sanders County	7	-0.4	4,337	-4
54	Lincoln County	7.6	-1.5	7,298	21
55	Glacier County	8.2	-3.2	4,872	-159
56	Mineral County	8.4	0.8	1,628	14

 

 

 

 

****** 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 3.7 percent. 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	4.7	-0.5	11,814	135
2	Fort Peck	5.3	0	4,211	32
3	Crow	8	-4.3	2,648	41
4	Fort Belknap	9.1	-1.1	758	-28
5	Rocky Boy's	11.1	-2.5	1,078	-24
6	Blackfeet	11.4	-3.9	3,469	-114
7	Northern Cheyenne	11.8	-0.8	1,380	-18