County Ranks 46th For Unemployment Rate

Montana now ranks third in the nation for the lowest unemployment rate, according to a press release from the governor’s office last week.

The state’s unemployment rate is 2.7 percent. Montana’s unemployment rate has been at or below 3.4 percent for 46 consecutive months.

Roosevelt County and Petroleum county are tied for 46th in Montana’s ranking of counties with unemployment rates of 3.5 percent. Roosevelt County has 100 people less employed than a year ago.

Topping the rankings were Fallon, Liberty and Prairie counties at 1.6 percent each. Garfield was third at 1.8 percent and Carter ranked fifth at 1.9 percent. Daniels and Treasure each had 2 percent unemployment.

Richland and Dawson counties were tied for eighth place at 2.1 percent. Other eastern Montana counties include Valley at 2.3 percent for 16th place, McCone at 2.5 for 22nd place and Sheridan at 2.6 for 24th place.

The counties with the highest unemployment were Lincoln at 5.4, Sanders at 5, Madison at 4.8, Granite at 4.8 and Big Horn at 4.7.

As far as the seven reservations, Flathead has the lowest unemployment rate at 3.9 percent. Fort Peck ranks second at 4.9 percent.

“With more Montanans working than ever before, we’re continuing our historic stretch of near record low unemployment and leading the nation with the third lowest rate,” Gov. Greg Gianforte said. “As we work to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Montanans through our historic tax cuts, our economy continues to grow as businesses create more good-paying jobs.”