Montana’s Unemployment Rate Remains Near Historic Low

Nearly 41,000 jobs created since January 2021

Governor's Office
  • April 19 2024
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HELENA, Mont. – Today, Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Montana’s unemployment rate was 3.3% in March as employment levels increased.

“Montana’s economy is thriving thanks to our pro-jobs, pro-business policies,” Gov. Gianforte said. “While we continue to battle inflation, many businesses are hiring and providing good paying jobs. Our administration will continue to develop workforce opportunities so every Montanan has a chance to fulfill the American dream.”

Since Gov. Gianforte took office in January 2021, nearly 41,000 jobs have been created in Montana. Under his leadership, total employment reached an all-time high in December.

Montana’s unemployment rate of 3.3% remains below the national rate of 3.8%.

In March, total employment in Montana increased by 480 workers, while the labor force fell by about 150 workers. Payroll employment increased by 1,700 jobs with the strongest job gains in the healthcare and construction industries.

In March, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4% over-the-month. Increases in the shelter index and the gasoline index comprised over half of the monthly increase. The 12-month change in the all-items index was 3.5%. The index for all items minus food and energy, or core inflation, rose 0.4% in March.  

According to the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, President Joe Biden's inflation tax has driven up costs for Montana households by 21.6% since he took office, making it harder for Montanans to make ends meet. Hardworking Montanans are paying about $1,110 more per month today for the things they need than when Biden took office.

In the last year, Biden's inflation has forced hardworking Montanans to pay 6% more for housing, 22% more for car insurance, 12% more for car repairs, and 10% more for baby food, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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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 Data and Operations Bureau at 406-444-4100. 

 

**** 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 3.3%.   

 

Unemployment Rate 

Employment 

Rank 

County 

Current Unemployment Rate 

Change over Year 

Current Employment 

Job Change from Last Year 

Carter 

1.7 

-0.1 

714 

15 

Fallon 

1.7 

-0.1 

1600 

-14 

Liberty 

1.8 

-0.3 

1053 

40 

Daniels 

0.1 

872 

-9 

Powder River 

2.1 

-1.1 

1027 

22 

McCone 

2.2 

0.1 

1000 

-2 

Gallatin 

2.2 

0.1 

79194 

1370 

Sweet Grass 

2.3 

1886 

25 

Treasure 

2.3 

-0.2 

341 

-10 

10 

Hill 

2.4 

0.2 

7430 

-94 

10 

Stillwater 

2.4 

-0.1 

5242 

-36 

12 

Beaverhead 

2.5 

-0.1 

4944 

-232 

12 

Dawson 

2.5 

0.1 

4207 

-51 

12 

Sheridan 

2.5 

-0.3 

1715 

15 

Prairie 

2.6 

-0.5 

668 

-11 

15 

Toole 

2.6 

0.8 

2013 

-86 

17 

Chouteau 

2.8 

-0.1 

2465 

-42 

17 

Lewis and Clark 

2.8 

0.1 

37556 

17 

Yellowstone 

2.8 

0.2 

85629 

241 

20 

Carbon 

2.9 

0.1 

5754 

17 

20 

Deer Lodge 

2.9 

-0.3 

5277 

-36 

20 

Madison 

2.9 

-0.1 

5080 

520 

20 

Meagher 

2.9 

1041 

-16 

20 

Richland 

2.9 

0.5 

5423 

-144 

25 

Custer 

-0.5 

6153 

102 

25 

Valley 

-0.1 

3813 

-21 

27 

Judith Basin 

3.1 

981 

-11 

27 

Teton 

3.1 

2730 

-28 

27 

Cascade 

3.1 

0.1 

38308 

10 

30 

Jefferson 

3.3 

0.3 

5946 

-4 

30 

Musselshell 

3.3 

0.2 

2347 

15 

30 

Rosebud 

3.3 

3439 

19 

30 

Missoula 

3.3 

0.3 

66643 

-275 

34 

Pondera 

3.4 

0.8 

2656 

-14 

34 

Ravalli 

3.4 

0.1 

21717 

199 

36 

Park 

3.5 

-0.4 

9965 

806 

36 

Wibaux 

3.5 

1.5 

415 

-16 

38 

Fergus 

3.7 

0.1 

5596 

-56 

39 

Broadwater 

3.8 

-0.3 

2766 

66 

39 

Golden Valley 

3.8 

0.7 

377 

39 

Powell 

3.8 

0.2 

2765 

-83 

39 

Silver Bow 

3.8 

17335 

94 

43 

Blaine 

4.1 

-0.1 

2145 

-51 

43 

Petroleum 

4.1 

279 

43 

Roosevelt 

4.1 

4075 

-102 

46 

Garfield 

4.3 

-0.3 

750 

21 

46 

Lake 

4.3 

0.4 

13839 

275 

46 

Flathead 

4.3 

0.3 

51861 

1109 

49 

Big Horn 

4.8 

-0.1 

4339 

-86 

50 

Granite 

-0.1 

1689 

57 

50 

Phillips 

0.1 

1696 

-61 

52 

Wheatland 

5.5 

0.5 

750 

10 

53 

Glacier 

5.7 

-0.7 

5349 

236 

54 

Sanders 

6.8 

0.7 

5194 

52 

55 

Mineral 

7.1 

0.5 

1734 

56 

Lincoln 

7.5 

0.7 

8096 

72 

 

****** 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 3.3%. 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 

County 

Current Unemployment Rate 

Change over Year 

Current Employment 

Job Change from Last Year 

Flathead 

4.6 

0.4 

13591 

251 

Fort Peck 

5.3 

0.1 

3672 

-83 

Crow 

7.2 

-0.1 

2247 

-39 

Blackfeet 

-0.8 

3782 

155 

Northern Cheyenne 

8.2 

-0.1 

1205 

-3 

Rocky Boy's 

8.3 

0.1 

1076 

-15 

Fort Belknap 

9.8 

-0.3 

705 

-17 

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