Montana Job Growth Continues Setting Records

Labor force participation rate increases as more Montanans enter workforce

Governor's Office
  • August 19 2022
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BOZEMAN, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s economy continued its strong growth in July, reaching a new record high for the number of Montanans employed. Job creation in Montana grew in July for the 27th consecutive month.

According to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Montana’s labor force added 1,470 workers in July, while Montana’s total employment grew by 712 workers.

“With our focus on trades education and expanding opportunities for good-paying careers, more and more Montanans are getting back to work,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Montana’s record job growth is easing our workforce shortage and providing relief to employers who are hiring.”

Importantly, Montana’s labor force participation rate rose to 62.7% as more and more Montana workers reentered the workforce. Nearly 24,000 workers have been added to Montana’s labor force since Gov. Gianforte took office, and labor force levels are at historic highs. The state’s labor force participation rate is the proportion of the working-age population that is either working or actively looking for work.

Private sector payrolls had a net gain of 500 jobs in July, with health care and social assistance leading the way with 800 jobs added.

Montana’s unemployment rate was 2.7% in July, as labor force growth continued to outpace total employment. The unemployment rate for the U.S. was at 3.5% in July.

Inflation over the last 12 months ticked down slightly in July to 8.5%. In June, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) reached 9.1%, its highest level since November 1981. In July, prices for gasoline and natural gas fell while the food and shelter indexes rose.

According to BLS, between July 2021 and July 2022, gas prices increased by 44.0%, energy services prices by 18.8%, grocery prices by 13.1%, baby food prices by 15.0%, infants’ and toddlers’ apparel prices by 8.2%, airfare prices by 27.7%, and new vehicle prices by 10.4%.

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** 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.

The next Labor Market Information report including data from August 2022 will be released on Friday, September 16.

 

**** 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. Visit www.lmi.mt.gov/home/job-tracking for Montana unemployment claims and current economic data.

 

****** 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 2.7%. 

 

Unemployment Rate

Employment

Rank

County

Current Unemployment Rate

Change over Year

Current Employment

Job Change from Last Year

1

Fallon

1.6

-0.8

1582

59

2

Daniels

1.8

-0.2

852

17

2

Sheridan

1.8

-1.1

1683

-64

2

Gallatin

1.8

-0.3

79574

3983

5

Sweet Grass

1.9

-0.4

1973

128

6

McCone

2

0.1

902

13

6

Petroleum

2

-0.8

243

-1

6

Powder River

2

-0.3

911

10

9

Carter

2.1

-0.7

571

-23

9

Judith Basin

2.1

-1.1

828

3

11

Madison

2.2

-0.6

4727

366

11

Meagher

2.2

0.3

983

33

11

Stillwater

2.2

-0.7

5346

32

14

Beaverhead

2.3

-0.1

5095

37

14

Powell

2.3

0.2

3028

6

14

Toole

2.3

-0.2

2056

65

14

Valley

2.3

-0.7

3983

52

18

Deer Lodge

2.4

-0.9

5411

389

18

Liberty

2.4

-0.1

877

-17

20

Custer

2.5

-0.4

6275

233

20

Fergus

2.5

-0.4

5785

102

20

Jefferson

2.5

-0.7

5976

172

20

Lewis and Clark

2.5

-0.3

38162

1180

20

Prairie

2.5

-0.8

475

1

20

Treasure

2.5

-1

316

9

26

Carbon

2.6

-0.6

5684

173

26

Dawson

2.6

-0.3

4365

121

26

Park

2.6

-0.4

10232

700

26

Yellowstone

2.6

-0.6

86261

3092

26

Missoula

2.6

-0.6

66138

3112

31

Ravalli

2.7

-0.6

21443

741

31

Wibaux

2.7

-1.4

403

26

31

Flathead

2.7

-0.7

53649

1874

34

Garfield

2.8

0.3

651

-13

34

Teton

2.8

-0.3

2591

-19

34

Cascade

2.8

-0.5

37355

1061

37

Chouteau

2.9

0.4

2199

-17

37

Musselshell

2.9

-0.9

2240

35

37

Silver Bow

2.9

-0.6

17855

515

40

Golden Valley

3

-1.1

359

8

41

Granite

3.1

-0.8

1617

91

41

Hill

3.1

-0.4

7023

-172

41

Pondera

3.1

-0.5

2443

46

44

Richland

3.2

-1.1

5495

-9

45

Lake

3.3

-0.5

13915

137

46

Broadwater

3.4

-0.1

2703

122

46

Wheatland

3.4

-1.5

660

-3

48

Blaine

3.5

-0.4

1995

19

49

Phillips

3.7

-0.1

1676

-15

50

Sanders

3.9

-0.2

5120

157

51

Roosevelt

4

-0.9

4053

70

51

Rosebud

4

-0.5

3416

29

53

Mineral

4.5

0.1

1874

-79

54

Lincoln

4.6

-0.8

8477

799

55

Big Horn

5.9

-2.4

4329

61

56

Glacier

7.6

0.1

4532

-739

 

****** 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 2.7%. 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

Area

Current Unemployment Rate

Change over Year

Current Employment

Job Change from Last Year

1

Flathead

3.4

-0.5

13643

168

2

Fort Peck

4.9

-1.2

3670

58

3

Fort Belknap

8.4

-0.7

658

6

4

Crow

8.7

-3.4

2244

37

5

Rocky Boy’s

9.7

-0.6

1000

-19

6

Northern Cheyenne

9.9

-1.7

1199

13

7

Blackfeet

10.5

0.1

3221

-487

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