Montana’s Unemployment Rate Remains Steady at 3.4% in November

  • — December 23 2019

MONTANA – Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 3.4% in November, as both total employment and the labor force grew. The U.S. unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage points, to 3.5%.

“As this decade comes to an end, Montanans can be proud of the economic expansion they have powered. Over the last 10 years, Montana has added 53,000 jobs and recorded the sixth fastest wage growth in the nation," Governor Bullock said. "As we enter 2020, Montana’s businesses and workers can look forward to future growth and a continued commitment to building a strong workforce."

Total employment, which includes agricultural, payroll and self-employed workers, grew by 1,200 jobs in November with similar growth in the labor force of 1,466 workers. Payroll employment also had a large increase of 1,800 jobs over the month, with much of the job growth coming in the arts and recreation industry and the construction industry.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.3% in November, with increases in shelter and energy indexes. 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.

** 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 December 2019 will be released on Friday, January 24, 2020.

**** 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 3.4%. 

Rank

County

Current Unemployment Rate

Change over Year

Current Employment

Job Change from Last Year

1

Carter

1.9

-0.2

705

-3

2

McCone

2.0

0.0

968

-16

3

Daniels

2.2

0.0

872

-7

4

Fallon

2.3

0.5

1,641

-43

4

Sheridan

2.3

0.3

1,700

-48

6

Chouteau

2.4

-0.8

2,535

25

7

Dawson

2.5

0.1

4,547

9

7

Garfield

2.5

-0.1

732

-6

7

Powder River

2.5

-0.1

938

-23

7

Treasure

2.5

-0.6

352

4

11

Richland

2.6

-0.1

5,642

-147

12

Custer

2.7

0.2

5,872

-14

12

Gallatin

2.7

-0.2

67,427

2,990

12

Judith Basin

2.7

-0.2

976

-11

12

Sweet Grass

2.7

0.1

1,745

8

16

Lewis and Clark

2.8

-0.3

35,086

552

16

Liberty

2.8

0.4

993

5

18

Deer Lodge

2.9

-0.5

4,940

31

19

Beaverhead

3.0

-0.2

5,016

68

19

Pondera

3.0

-0.9

2,613

-25

19

Stillwater

3.0

-0.1

4,971

117

19

Toole

3.0

0.8

2,038

-16

19

Yellowstone

3.0

-0.2

78,982

1,065

24

Fergus

3.1

-0.2

5,681

85

24

Meagher

3.1

-0.8

979

30

24

Missoula

3.1

-0.1

62,962

1,682

24

Prairie

3.1

0.1

494

4

28

Cascade

3.2

-0.2

37,029

483

28

Teton

3.2

-0.1

2,680

-10

28

Wibaux

3.2

-0.7

430

-15

31

Jefferson

3.3

-0.3

5,550

78

32

Carbon

3.4

-0.2

5,349

61

32

Phillips

3.4

0.1

1,923

18

32

Valley

3.4

0.3

3,974

-48

35

Hill

3.6

0.1

7,401

14

35

Park

3.6

-0.9

8,712

325

35

Ravalli

3.6

-0.3

19,711

505

35

Wheatland

3.6

-1.6

778

6

39

Powell

3.7

-0.1

2,821

17

39

Roosevelt

3.7

0.0

4,308

1

39

Silver Bow

3.7

-0.1

16,801

245

42

Blaine

3.8

0.0

2,247

-8

42

Broadwater

3.8

-0.2

2,623

86

42

Petroleum

3.8

-0.9

276

-5

45

Lake

4.0

-0.1

12,856

306

46

Musselshell

4.2

0.7

2,117

-14

47

Golden Valley

4.3

-0.2

359

1

48

Madison

4.4

-0.2

4,044

94

49

Rosebud

4.5

0.2

3,702

-27

50

Flathead

4.6

-0.2

46,415

1,622

51

Sanders

4.8

-1.1

4,665

117

52

Mineral

5.2

-1.1

1,648

54

53

Granite

5.8

1.0

1,567

53

54

Big Horn

6.7

-2.0

4,507

-145

55

Lincoln

6.9

0.4

7,777

257

56

Glacier

7.3

0.0

5,158

28

****** 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 3.4%. 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

4.2

-0.2

12,610

302

2

Fort Peck

4.8

0.0

3,873

-6

3

Fort Belknap

8.6

0.0

741

-2

4

Blackfeet

10.0

-0.2

3,652

17

5

Crow

10.1

-2.8

2,294

-64

6

Rocky Boy's

10.3

-0.7

1,083

5

7

Northern Cheyenne

11.3

-0.2

1,280

-21

Contact Sam Loveridge: Public Information Officer, Department of Labor and Industry
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