Montana’s Labor Force Continues Growth, Unemployment Rate at 3.6% in July

Governor's Office
  • August 20 2021
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HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1% in July to 3.6%, while the unemployment rate for the U.S. was 5.4% for the month. The labor force also had strong growth over the month.

“Montana continues to attract workers back into our labor force, helping to alleviate pressure on employers who are looking to hire,” Governor Greg Gianforte said. “This report is good news for Montana businesses in the midst of the summer travel season and good news for workers who are enjoying higher wages as our economy makes a comeback from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Montana’s total employment, which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers, grew by 2,162 in July, with strong growth in the labor force of 1,999 workers. Payroll jobs increased by 3,300 jobs in July. Accommodation and food services had strong growth with 2,900 jobs added. 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.5% over the month in July. The 12-month increase was 5.4%, similar to the 12-month increase last month and signaling a moderation in inflationary pressure. Prices of used cars and trucks and energy commodities remain high compared to 12 months prior. The index for all items less food and energy, referred to as core inflation, increased 0.3% in July, with the 12-month increase lowering to 4.3% from 4.5% last month.

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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 0.6 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 Situation Report for the month of August will be released on Friday, September 17th.

 

**** 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 economic data on the current recession.

 

****** 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 3.2%. 

 

 

Unemployment Rate

Employment

Rank

County

Current Unemployment Rate

Change over Year

Current Employment

Job Change from Last Year

1

McCone

2

-2.2

902

32

2

Meagher

2

-2.7

947

32

3

Daniels

2.1

-0.8

849

0

4

Powell

2.1

-2.1

2946

11

5

Sweet Grass

2.2

-1.5

1876

58

6

Gallatin

2.2

-2.9

72841

2852

7

Powder River

2.3

-0.7

885

-15

8

Beaverhead

2.4

-1.7

4967

134

9

Chouteau

2.4

-1.8

2228

30

10

Fallon

2.4

-3.2

1518

-5

11

Liberty

2.5

-0.5

899

22

12

Toole

2.5

-3.6

2027

-33

13

Garfield

2.6

0.2

648

-10

14

Custer

2.8

-2.7

6131

105

15

Lewis and Clark

2.8

-2.5

36961

942

16

Stillwater

2.8

-3.1

5335

305

17

Dawson

2.9

-4.7

4312

-192

18

Fergus

2.9

-1.2

5627

-110

19

Madison

2.9

-1.9

4176

-107

20

Petroleum

2.9

-0.4

238

0

21

Carter

3

-0.6

553

-7

22

Valley

3

-1.3

4008

28

23

Jefferson

3.1

-2.4

5799

138

24

Park

3.1

-4.2

9137

414

25

Sheridan

3.1

-2.6

1624

3

26

Teton

3.1

-1.4

2586

44

27

Missoula

3.1

-3.7

62355

2160

28

Deer Lodge

3.2

-2.1

5120

199

29

Ravalli

3.2

-2.6

20696

1096

30

Yellowstone

3.2

-2.8

81152

249

31

Cascade

3.2

-3.4

36074

656

32

Carbon

3.3

-2.7

5345

42

33

Judith Basin

3.3

-2

814

0

34

Broadwater

3.4

-3.1

2610

120

35

Wibaux

3.4

-2.6

425

-13

36

Flathead

3.4

-3.9

51517

3183

37

Hill

3.5

-2.5

7201

-25

38

Pondera

3.5

-2.3

2459

22

39

Silver Bow

3.5

-3.5

17179

496

40

Golden Valley

3.6

-0.3

344

2

41

Phillips

3.6

-1.6

1690

-29

42

Prairie

3.7

-5.1

447

23

43

Treasure

3.7

-0.9

312

20

44

Blaine

3.8

-1.7

2030

2

45

Granite

3.8

-2.8

1533

28

46

Lake

3.8

-3.3

13467

595

47

Musselshell

3.8

-2.6

2193

36

48

Sanders

4

-3.4

4982

220

49

Richland

4.2

-4.7

5560

115

50

Mineral

4.6

-4.2

1806

80

51

Rosebud

4.6

-1.6

3317

-115

52

Roosevelt

4.8

-2.8

4066

56

53

Wheatland

5.1

-2.9

655

10

54

Lincoln

5.2

-4.2

7775

307

55

Glacier

8

-3.6

4929

74

56

Big Horn

8.3

0.7

4248

-174

 

 

****** 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 3.2%. 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

4

-3.4

13199

580

2

Fort Peck

6

-3.3

3680

47

3

Fort Belknap

8.9

-3.4

669

1

4

Rocky Boy's

10.1

-6.5

1022

2

5

Blackfeet

10.9

-5

3487

52

6

Northern Cheyenne

11.8

-2.6

1168

-43

7

Crow

12.2

0.7

2188

-80

 

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