HELENA — Montana’s unemployment rate declined in March to 3.8%, marking the state’s third consecutive month of lower unemployment rates. Nationwide, the unemployment rate was 6.0% in March.
Payroll employment saw growth of 4,000 jobs over the month, according to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry.
The Leisure and Hospitality sector added 1,300 jobs, while the manufacturing, education, and health sectors each added 800 jobs.
Montana’s total employment, which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers, grew by 1,210 jobs in March. The labor force grew by 439 workers in March, signaling a rebound from recent declines.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased by 0.6% in March, the largest one-month increase since August 2012.
Prices for gasoline, which rose 9.1% in March, and natural gas were major contributors to the increase.
The lowest jobless rate was 2.1% in Daniels and McCone counties. Big Horn and Glacier counties had the highest unemployment rates at 9.0%.
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| Unemployment Rate | Employment | ||||
| Rank | County | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Daniels | 2.1 | -1.3 | 884 | 9 |
| 2 | McCone | 2.1 | -0.2 | 950 | 29 |
| 3 | Liberty | 2.6 | -0.7 | 978 | 21 |
| 4 | Petroleum | 2.6 | -1.8 | 260 | -2 |
| 5 | Garfield | 2.9 | -0.7 | 728 | -5 |
| 6 | Gallatin | 3 | 0.1 | 67552 | 224 |
| 7 | Carter | 3.1 | 0 | 632 | -16 |
| 8 | Sweet Grass | 3.3 | -0.2 | 1806 | 57 |
| 9 | Toole | 3.3 | -0.6 | 2041 | 43 |
| 10 | Fallon | 3.4 | 0.8 | 1577 | -64 |
| 11 | Judith Basin | 3.4 | -1.3 | 939 | -37 |
| 12 | Meagher | 3.4 | -0.2 | 971 | 6 |
| 13 | Powder River | 3.4 | -0.3 | 969 | 34 |
| 14 | Beaverhead | 3.5 | -0.4 | 4850 | -35 |
| 15 | Chouteau | 3.5 | -0.2 | 2376 | -55 |
| 16 | Powell | 3.6 | -1.9 | 2789 | 96 |
| 17 | Hill | 3.7 | -0.5 | 7190 | -102 |
| 18 | Stillwater | 3.7 | -0.1 | 5098 | -48 |
| 19 | Dawson | 3.8 | 0.3 | 4403 | -39 |
| 20 | Lewis and Clark | 3.8 | -0.1 | 35029 | 332 |
| 21 | Pondera | 3.8 | -0.4 | 2582 | 11 |
| 22 | Golden Valley | 3.9 | -1.2 | 347 | -5 |
| 23 | Madison | 3.9 | -0.3 | 4985 | -59 |
| 24 | Deer Lodge | 4.1 | -0.5 | 4783 | -10 |
| 25 | Jefferson | 4.1 | -0.6 | 5556 | 51 |
| 26 | Yellowstone | 4.1 | 0 | 77299 | -2317 |
| 27 | Treasure | 4.2 | 1.6 | 339 | 0 |
| 28 | Valley | 4.2 | -0.1 | 3843 | -14 |
| 29 | Wibaux | 4.2 | 0.2 | 431 | -6 |
| 30 | Custer | 4.3 | 0.1 | 5940 | -49 |
| 31 | Teton | 4.3 | -0.1 | 2648 | -15 |
| 32 | Cascade | 4.3 | 0.1 | 35264 | -1262 |
| 33 | Carbon | 4.4 | -0.6 | 5182 | -127 |
| 34 | Sheridan | 4.4 | 1 | 1727 | -19 |
| 35 | Missoula | 4.4 | -0.1 | 59216 | -2676 |
| 36 | Blaine | 4.6 | -0.6 | 2182 | -27 |
| 37 | Fergus | 4.6 | -0.5 | 5574 | 92 |
| 38 | Rosebud | 4.6 | -0.8 | 3459 | -99 |
| 39 | Prairie | 4.8 | -0.5 | 439 | 6 |
| 40 | Ravalli | 4.8 | -0.7 | 19774 | 254 |
| 41 | Silver Bow | 4.9 | -0.3 | 16154 | -98 |
| 42 | Lake | 5 | -0.7 | 12964 | 34 |
| 43 | Park | 5.1 | -0.3 | 8080 | -202 |
| 44 | Richland | 5.2 | 1.5 | 5425 | -213 |
| 45 | Roosevelt | 5.3 | -0.3 | 4174 | -39 |
| 46 | Broadwater | 5.4 | -0.1 | 2457 | -7 |
| 47 | Musselshell | 5.4 | -0.1 | 2195 | -24 |
| 48 | Phillips | 5.5 | 0.7 | 1802 | -9 |
| 49 | Flathead | 5.6 | -1.3 | 45533 | 210 |
| 50 | Granite | 5.7 | -2.5 | 1515 | -55 |
| 51 | Sanders | 6.4 | -1.8 | 4703 | 25 |
| 52 | Wheatland | 6.9 | 1.2 | 710 | -7 |
| 53 | Mineral | 7.1 | -5.2 | 1549 | 13 |
| 54 | Lincoln | 8.4 | -3.6 | 7129 | -95 |
| 55 | Big Horn | 9 | 0.8 | 4424 | -137 |
| 56 | Glacier | 9 | -0.1 | 4623 | -451 |
| Unemployment Rate | Employment | ||||
| Rank | Area | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Flathead | 5.3 | -0.8 | 12684 | 20 |
| 2 | Fort Peck | 6.8 | -0.3 | 3755 | -32 |
| 3 | Fort Belknap | 11 | -0.6 | 718 | -9 |
| 4 | Rocky Boy's | 11.8 | -1.1 | 1040 | -18 |
| 5 | Northern Cheyenne | 12.1 | -1.1 | 1217 | -37 |
| 6 | Blackfeet | 12.3 | -0.1 | 3293 | -300 |
| 7 | Crow | 13.3 | 1 | 2259 | -69 |
