MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that Montana’s unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 3.4% in October, driven by over 850 new workers entering the labor market.
The U.S. unemployment rate also moved up 0.1 percentage points, ending at 3.6%.
More workers are joining our labor force in response to strong wage growth and plentiful job opportunities, Governor Bullock said. We will continue our commitment to upskill our workforce and maximize each worker’s potential, helping businesses grow.
Total employment, which includes agricultural, payroll and self-employed workers, indicated a gain of 676 jobs. The labor force grew by 851, the largest monthly gain in the labor force since 2015. The number of unemployed people increased by 175 people. Payroll employment increased by 600 jobs over the month.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4% in October, with increases in gasoline, food, and medical care. The index for all items less food and energy, also called core inflation, rose by 0.2%. Core inflation rose 2.3% over the last twelve months.
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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 Situation Report for the month of November 2019 will be released on Friday, December 20, 2019.
**** 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 3.1%.
|
Rank |
County |
Current Unemployment Rate |
Change over Year |
Current Employment |
Job Change from Last Year |
|
1 |
Daniels |
1.9 |
-0.4 |
867 |
3 |
|
2 |
Fallon |
2.1 |
0.2 |
1,651 |
-24 |
|
2 |
Garfield |
2.1 |
-0.7 |
749 |
26 |
|
4 |
Carter |
2.2 |
0 |
705 |
32 |
|
4 |
Sheridan |
2.2 |
0 |
1,701 |
-49 |
|
6 |
McCone |
2.3 |
0.2 |
987 |
21 |
|
6 |
Powder River |
2.3 |
-0.1 |
953 |
8 |
|
8 |
Gallatin |
2.4 |
-0.3 |
67,337 |
2,324 |
|
9 |
Beaverhead |
2.5 |
-0.3 |
5,034 |
80 |
|
9 |
Custer |
2.5 |
0.1 |
5,822 |
-71 |
|
9 |
Dawson |
2.5 |
0.1 |
4,524 |
16 |
|
9 |
Fergus |
2.5 |
-0.4 |
5,724 |
94 |
|
9 |
Liberty |
2.5 |
-0.2 |
1,007 |
40 |
|
9 |
Treasure |
2.5 |
-0.1 |
349 |
9 |
|
15 |
Deer Lodge |
2.6 |
-0.5 |
4,947 |
0 |
|
15 |
Judith Basin |
2.6 |
-0.5 |
974 |
23 |
|
15 |
Park |
2.6 |
-0.7 |
8,943 |
238 |
|
18 |
Chouteau |
2.7 |
-0.2 |
2,527 |
79 |
|
18 |
Lewis and Clark |
2.7 |
-0.3 |
34,636 |
175 |
|
18 |
Stillwater |
2.7 |
-0.2 |
4,959 |
100 |
|
18 |
Sweet Grass |
2.7 |
0 |
1,754 |
22 |
|
22 |
Missoula |
2.8 |
-0.2 |
63,149 |
1,452 |
|
22 |
Richland |
2.8 |
0 |
5,646 |
-156 |
|
22 |
Wheatland |
2.8 |
-2.1 |
785 |
27 |
|
25 |
Meagher |
2.9 |
-0.6 |
962 |
39 |
|
25 |
Phillips |
2.9 |
-0.2 |
1,946 |
53 |
|
25 |
Pondera |
2.9 |
-0.8 |
2,630 |
15 |
|
25 |
Toole |
2.9 |
0.5 |
2,060 |
-11 |
|
25 |
Yellowstone |
2.9 |
-0.2 |
78,502 |
290 |
|
30 |
Carbon |
3 |
-0.3 |
5,333 |
40 |
|
30 |
Teton |
3 |
0.2 |
2,691 |
24 |
|
32 |
Cascade |
3.1 |
-0.2 |
36,760 |
244 |
|
32 |
Jefferson |
3.1 |
-0.4 |
5,494 |
44 |
|
32 |
Wibaux |
3.1 |
-0.5 |
441 |
-10 |
|
35 |
Broadwater |
3.2 |
-0.8 |
2,588 |
54 |
|
35 |
Valley |
3.2 |
0.5 |
3,980 |
-39 |
|
37 |
Ravalli |
3.3 |
-0.4 |
19,704 |
314 |
|
38 |
Petroleum |
3.4 |
-0.8 |
283 |
7 |
|
38 |
Powell |
3.4 |
0.2 |
2,818 |
-2 |
|
38 |
Silver Bow |
3.4 |
-0.4 |
16,693 |
76 |
|
41 |
Blaine |
3.5 |
-0.2 |
2,243 |
21 |
|
41 |
Golden Valley |
3.5 |
-0.6 |
361 |
6 |
|
41 |
Madison |
3.5 |
-0.1 |
3,844 |
94 |
|
41 |
Musselshell |
3.5 |
0.1 |
2,115 |
-24 |
|
45 |
Roosevelt |
3.6 |
-0.3 |
4,277 |
13 |
|
46 |
Hill |
3.7 |
0.2 |
7,301 |
-18 |
|
47 |
Prairie |
3.8 |
0.7 |
485 |
12 |
|
48 |
Flathead |
3.9 |
-0.4 |
46,390 |
984 |
|
48 |
Lake |
3.9 |
0.1 |
12,787 |
163 |
|
50 |
Granite |
4.4 |
-0.2 |
1,604 |
49 |
|
50 |
Sanders |
4.4 |
-0.3 |
4,676 |
69 |
|
52 |
Mineral |
4.6 |
-0.9 |
1,693 |
49 |
|
52 |
Rosebud |
4.6 |
0.3 |
3,769 |
3 |
|
54 |
Lincoln |
5.9 |
0.2 |
7,819 |
161 |
|
55 |
Big Horn |
6.4 |
-2.1 |
4,498 |
-145 |
|
56 |
Glacier |
6.8 |
0.1 |
5,226 |
24 |
****** 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 3.1%. Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.
|
Rank |
County |
Current Unemployment Rate |
Change over Year |
Current Employment |
Job Change from Last Year |
|
1 |
Flathead |
4.0 |
0.0 |
12,552 |
164 |
|
2 |
Fort Peck |
4.7 |
-0.2 |
3,849 |
5 |
|
3 |
Fort Belknap |
7.8 |
-0.6 |
741 |
8 |
|
4 |
Blackfeet |
9.4 |
0.0 |
3,699 |
18 |
|
5 |
Crow |
9.6 |
-3.1 |
2,289 |
-66 |
|
6 |
Rocky Boy's |
10.8 |
0.1 |
1,071 |
8 |
|
7 |
Northern Cheyenne |
11.2 |
-0.2 |
1,294 |
-15 |
