Montana’s Unemployment Rate Remains Steady at 3.4% in December

• January 24 2020

Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 3.4% in December, with 1,200 jobs added over the month. The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.5%.

“I am optimistic as we begin a new decade with a strong economy and growing wages that benefit workers, businesses, and communities,” Governor Bullock said. “More Montanans are working than ever before, and we’re continuing efforts to build a skilled and talented workforce with opportunities to pursue meaningful careers.”

Total employment, which includes agricultural, payroll, and self-employed workers, grew by 1,200 jobs in December with similar growth in the labor force of 1,400 workers. Payroll employment indicated relatively flat employment levels.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.2% in December, with increases in gasoline, shelter, and medical care. The gasoline index increased by 2.8% over the month. The index for all items less food and energy, also called core inflation, rose by 0.1%. Core inflation rose 2.3% over the last twelve months.

** 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 non-seasonal 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 & Industry’s Research and Analysis Bureau at 406-444-4100.

Due to the annual process to benchmark and revision to the prior year’s labor market estimates, the next Labor Situation Report for the month of January 2020 will be released on Monday, March 16, with the estimate for February released on Friday, March 27. March estimates will be released on the third Friday in April (April 17), consistent with the typical schedule.

**** 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.

****** 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 3.6%. 

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

The unemployment rate and ranking for each of Montana’s seven reservations is provided below.  Reservation unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted and should be compared to the unadjusted statewide unemployment rate of 3.6%. Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.