State Sets New Records for Employment, Labor Force in November

More than 41,000 jobs created since January 2021

• December 22 2023

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte and Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), today announced the state’s total employment and labor force grew in the month of November, setting new state records for both, according to data compiled by DLI and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Montana’s total employment reached a new all-time high in November, growing by nearly 580 jobs and with more than 563,000 Montanans working. Since Gov. Gianforte took office in January 2021, more than 41,000 jobs have been created in Montana.

“More Montanans are working now than ever before, and the size of our labor force continues to set new records. These positive trends continue for hardworking Montanans and employers alike,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I firmly believe better is always possible, and we’ll continue delivering on our pro-family, pro-jobs agenda to help more Montanans thrive and achieve the American dream.”

“As Montana’s labor force continues to grow, there are encouraging signs our worker shortage continues to abate,” said Commissioner Swanson. “Steady growth in both employment and our labor force show Montana’s job market is healthy and robust as we prepare to enter 2024.”

Montana’s labor force also grew by more than 1,400 workers in November, adding more than 11,000 workers since the start of the year.

Labor force growth slightly outpaced growth in total employment in November, leading to a slight increase in the state’s unemployment rate to 3.0%. November marks the first month in two years that Montana’s unemployment rate reached 3.0%. The state’s unemployment rate remained below 3.0% for the 24 months between November 2021 and October 2023. Prior to Governor Gianforte taking office, the state’s unemployment rate fell below 3.0% in just three months in the last 50 years – January, February, and March of 2007.

The national unemployment rate in November was 3.7%, according to BLS.

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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.

The next Labor Market Information report, including data from December 2023, will be released on Tuesday, January 23^rd. 

 **** 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. 

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 3.0%.   

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 3.0%. Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.  

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