Remains in the top five state with lowest unemployment
Governor’s Office
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s unemployment rate was at 2.9% in August, marking the eleventh straight month under 3% and over four consecutive years of unemployment at or below 3.4%, a new record.
“In Montana, we’re committed to working across the public and private sector to promote career pathways for all Montanans to reach their full, outstanding potential,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Over the next few weeks, the Department of Labor and Industry is hitting the road to highlight this new initiative, 406 JOBS, to inform Montanans of the resources available to enter or re-enter the workforce.”
Montana’s unemployment rate was 1.4% lower than the national unemployment rate, which was 4.3% in August. Montana remained in the top five states in the nation with the lowest unemployment rates.
Total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers) increased slightly in August. Payroll jobs remained unchanged over the month, following the addition of 1,200 jobs in July. The transportation, accommodation, and food service industries have added the most jobs over the last three months, offsetting declines in education, manufacturing, and federal government employment.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis in August. The index for shelter rose 0.4% in August, the primary factor for the monthly all items increase. Over the last 12 months, the all-items index rose 2.9% with core inflation rising 3.1%. The index for all items minus food and energy, or core inflation, rose 0.3% in August.
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** Unemployment figures are seasonally-adjusted. Seasonally-adjusted numbers remove the effects of events that follow a 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 September 2025, will be released on Tuesday October 21st.
**** 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 2.8%.
Unemployment Rate
Employment
Rank
County
Current Unemployment Rate
Change over Year
Current Employment
Job Change from Last Year
1
Prairie
1.4
-0.1
770
7
2
Carter
1.5
-1.1
714
-4
2
Powder River
1.5
-0.8
980
78
4
Daniels
1.8
-0.1
746
-15
4
Fallon
1.8
0.2
1,510
-181
6
Liberty
1.9
-0.4
909
11
6
Meagher
1.9
-0.1
1,015
-50
8
McCone
2
-0.5
862
13
8
Park
2
-0.1
11,262
275
10
Custer
2.1
0
6,527
-30
10
Garfield
2.1
0.3
651
0
10
Richland
2.1
-0.3
5,887
43
13
Dawson
2.2
-0.2
4,359
168
14
Beaverhead
2.3
-0.1
4,843
89
14
Chouteau
2.3
0
2,823
31
14
Gallatin
2.3
0.1
74,267
-3870
14
Treasure
2.3
-0.2
388
4
18
Broadwater
2.4
0.2
3,907
-6
18
Fergus
2.4
-0.2
5,968
97
20
Judith Basin
2.5
-0.9
951
-26
20
Toole
2.5
-0.3
2,263
-24
20
Valley
2.5
0.1
3,742
-25
23
Blaine
2.6
-0.4
2,694
91
23
Carbon
2.6
0.1
5,597
3
23
Golden Valley
2.6
-1
417
19
23
Jefferson
2.6
0.1
6,080
-44
23
Sheridan
2.6
0.3
1,724
-3
23
Teton
2.6
0.2
2,918
-15
29
Flathead
2.7
0
62,148
512
29
Missoula
2.7
0
69,130
-839
29
Phillips
2.7
0.1
2,128
194
29
Powell
2.7
-0.4
2,665
35
29
Sweet Grass
2.7
1
1,791
-238
34
Lewis and Clark
2.8
0.2
36,868
-184
35
Stillwater
2.9
0.2
4,483
-3
36
Cascade
3
0
37,707
-443
36
Yellowstone
3
0.1
86,701
-23
38
Hill
3.1
0.2
6,954
66
38
Rosebud
3.1
-0.5
3,575
96
38
Silver Bow
3.1
-0.1
17,826
293
41
Ravalli
3.2
0.1
20,359
-273
42
Deer Lodge
3.3
0.3
4,496
40
42
Pondera
3.3
0.1
2,435
-74
42
Wibaux
3.3
-0.3
411
5
45
Petroleum
3.4
-1.1
229
15
45
Wheatland
3.4
0.1
740
-11
47
Mineral
3.5
-1.1
2,149
-42
48
Lake
3.7
0.4
14,793
217
49
Granite
3.9
0
1,399
58
50
Glacier
4.2
0.3
6,421
-56
51
Roosevelt
4.3
0.3
3,646
67
52
Madison
4.4
0.6
2,792
-251
52
Musselshell
4.4
0.6
1,895
15
52
Sanders
4.4
-0.2
4,952
66
55
Lincoln
4.6
-0.1
8,516
24
56
Big Horn
5.7
1.4
4,305
-141
****** 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 2.8%. 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
0.4
14,185
198
2
Blackfeet
5.6
0.3
4,673
-46
3
Fort Peck
5.8
0.4
3,092
47
4
Northern Cheyenne
7.3
-0.3
1,345
7
5
Rocky Boy’s
8.6
0.6
953
9
6
Crow
9.4
2.1
2,060
-61
7
Fort Belknap
11.2
-0.5
857
32
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