State’s unemployment rate at or below 3.4% for 37 consecutive months, a record stretch

HELENA, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte on Aug 19th, announced that Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 3.1% in July, while the national rate rose to 4.3%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

“Our pro-jobs, pro-family, pro-business policies are helping keep Montanans working while the national unemployment rate rises as a result of the Biden-Harris administration,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Many businesses across Montana are providing good-paying jobs across our state. We’ll continue to cut red tape, lower taxes, and invest in a stronger workforce to make Montana an even better place to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.”

The state’s unemployment rate of 3.1% in July continues a record of 37 consecutive months with the rate at or below 3.4%. The next closest stretch was during 2006 and 2007, when the state’s unemployment rate remained at or below 3.4% for 15 consecutive months.

Since Gov. Gianforte took office in January 2021, nearly 40,000 jobs have been created in Montana. More Montanans are working than ever before, with total employment rising by 1,227 in July, bringing total employment in the state to 562,000 Montanans working. Private sector job gains were driven by increases in health care and the accommodations and food service industries.

The number of people in the state’s labor force rose by 1,579 in July, reaching another record high of more than 580,000 Montanans in the labor force.

Despite the encouraging jobs report, inflation continues to make it harder for Montana families to make ends meet.

“The Biden-Harris administration has been a disaster for Montana families. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ out-of-control federal spending has driven up inflation nearly 22 percent in Montana and forced Montana families to pay $1,117 more per month for the things they need than when Biden and Harris took office,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We need fiscal restraint and responsibility in Washington to fix the Biden-Harris affordability crisis.”

According to the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office in January 2021, Montanans have seen prices skyrocket 21.8% because of the inflationary policies of the Biden-Harris administration. The average Montana household is paying $1,117 more per month today for the things they need – including groceries, gas, housing, and energy – than when Biden and Harris took office. Since the Biden-Harris administration took office in January 2021, the average Montana household has spent nearly $31,000 more due to inflation.

BLS reports the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.2% in July, on a seasonally adjusted basis for a 12-month change of 2.9%. Energy prices were unchanged while prices for shelter and food increased. The index for all items minus food and energy, or core inflation, rose 0.2% in July.

** 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 3.1%.

****** 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.