Montana unemployment rate dips to 3.4 percent

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s unemployment rate ticked down to 3.4 percent in May. Montana’s unemployment rate was lower than the national unemployment rate, which remained unchanged over the month at 4.3 percent.

“Since taking office, we’ve been focused on unleashing Montana’s economy to support business owners who create good-paying jobs, strengthen our workforce, and reduce barriers to employment,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As we implement our 406 JOBS initiative, we continue our historic stretch of low unemployment while ensuring Montanans who are able to work have a pathway to a meaningful career.”

Montana’s labor force, total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self‑employed workers) and unemployment all declined over the month. The decline in unemployment was larger than the decline in employment. As a result, the unemployment rate ticked down slightly. The number of unemployed fell by 700 in May and total employment declined by 200 jobs. Payroll jobs declined by 2,600 jobs in May, with the largest declines in construction and accommodation and food service.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in May 2026. Over the last twelve months, the all items index increased 4.2 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for energy rose 3.9 percent in May, accounting for over sixty percent of the monthly all items increase. Core inflation, or the index for all items less food and energy, rose 2.9 percent over the last twelve months.

“While today’s numbers are encouraging, we know many Montanans are still working to find their footing in the job market,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. “That’s why the Department of Labor and Industry, along with Governor Gianforte, is continuing to expand workforce development resources from job training to registered apprenticeships so that economic progress reaches workers in every part of the state.”

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 June 2026, will be released on Tuesday, July 21.

County unemployment rates

The unemployment rate and ranking for each of Montana’s 56 counties is provided below for convenience. County unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted and should be compared to the unadjusted statewide unemployment rate of 2.9 percent.

• Prairie: rank 1, unemployment rate 1.6, change over year 0, current employment 627, job change from last year -105.
• Carter: rank 2, unemployment rate 1.7, change over year -0.1, current employment 624, job change from last year -23.
• Powder River: rank 2, unemployment rate 1.7, change over year -0.5, current employment 939, job change from last year -22.
• Daniels: rank 4, unemployment rate 1.8, change over year -0.6, current employment 692, job change from last year -29.
• Garfield: rank 5, unemployment rate 2, change over year 0, current employment 597, job change from last year -33.
• Liberty: rank 5, unemployment rate 2, change over year -0.2, current employment 861, job change from last year -13.
• Sheridan: rank 5, unemployment rate 2, change over year -0.8, current employment 1,619, job change from last year -31.
• Custer: rank 8, unemployment rate 2.2, change over year -0.2, current employment 6,414, job change from last year -142.
• Toole: rank 8, unemployment rate 2.2, change over year -0.5, current employment 2,132, job change from last year -65.
• Beaverhead: rank 10, unemployment rate 2.3, change over year -0.3, current employment 4,530, job change from last year -54.
• Sweet Grass: rank 10, unemployment rate 2.3, change over year -1.4, current employment 1,744, job change from last year 5.
• Wibaux: rank 10, unemployment rate 2.3, change over year -0.4, current employment 421, job change from last year -7.
• Judith Basin: rank 13, unemployment rate 2.4, change over year -0.8, current employment 924, job change from last year -18.
• Park: rank 13, unemployment rate 2.4, change over year -0.2, current employment 10,751, job change from last year 472.
• Teton: rank 13, unemployment rate 2.4, change over year -0.1, current employment 2,822, job change from last year -66.
• Broadwater: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year -0.1, current employment 4,049, job change from last year 40.
• Carbon: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year -0.4, current employment 5,513, job change from last year -58.
• Dawson: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year 0.1, current employment 4,143, job change from last year -87.
• Jefferson: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year -0.1, current employment 6,152, job change from last year 31.
• Meagher: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year -0.1, current employment 938, job change from last year -20.
• Richland: rank 16, unemployment rate 2.5, change over year 0, current employment 5,397, job change from last year -174.
• Chouteau: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year 0.2, current employment 2,562, job change from last year -118.
• Fallon: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year 0.3, current employment 1,412, job change from last year -6.
• Fergus: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year -0.2, current employment 5,692, job change from last year -14.
• Missoula: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year -0.2, current employment 70,649, job change from last year 6.
• Valley: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year 0, current employment 3,427, job change from last year -98.
• Gallatin: rank 22, unemployment rate 2.6, change over year 0, current employment 76,096, job change from last year 201.
• Lewis and Clark: rank 28, unemployment rate 2.7, change over year -0.1, current employment 36,965, job change from last year 350.
• Blaine: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year 0.3, current employment 2,583, job change from last year -66.
• Golden Valley: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year 0.1, current employment 423, job change from last year -9.
• Hill: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year -0.1, current employment 6,998, job change from last year 147.
• McCone: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year 0.5, current employment 820, job change from last year -24.
• Stillwater: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year -0.7, current employment 4,521, job change from last year -46.
• Treasure: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year 0.9, current employment 353, job change from last year -14.
• Yellowstone: rank 29, unemployment rate 2.8, change over year -0.1, current employment 86,523, job change from last year -251.
• Phillips: rank 36, unemployment rate 2.9, change over year -0.1, current employment 1,926, job change from last year -62.
• Cascade: rank 36, unemployment rate 2.9, change over year 0, current employment 38,106, job change from last year -492.
• Flathead: rank 38, unemployment rate 3, change over year -0.2, current employment 59,098, job change from last year 754.
• Pondera: rank 39, unemployment rate 3.1, change over year -0.1, current employment 2,306, job change from last year -82.
• Ravalli: rank 39, unemployment rate 3.1, change over year -0.2, current employment 20,417, job change from last year -9.
• Lake: rank 41, unemployment rate 3.2, change over year -0.2, current employment 14,117, job change from last year -165.
• Silver Bow: rank 42, unemployment rate 3.4, change over year -0.1, current employment 17,210, job change from last year 18.
• Deer Lodge: rank 43, unemployment rate 3.5, change over year -0.1, current employment 4,313, job change from last year 39.
• Roosevelt: rank 44, unemployment rate 3.6, change over year -0.6, current employment 3,575, job change from last year -33.
• Mineral: rank 45, unemployment rate 3.7, change over year -0.4, current employment 2,183, job change from last year -18.
• Petroleum: rank 45, unemployment rate 3.7, change over year 0.5, current employment 234, job change from last year -8.
• Powell: rank 45, unemployment rate 3.7, change over year 0.1, current employment 2,396, job change from last year -128.
• Wheatland: rank 48, unemployment rate 3.8, change over year -0.6, current employment 678, job change from last year -23.
• Rosebud: rank 49, unemployment rate 4, change over year 1.5, current employment 3,588, job change from last year -180.
• Sanders: rank 50, unemployment rate 4.4, change over year -0.5, current employment 4,832, job change from last year -82.
• Glacier: rank 51, unemployment rate 4.5, change over year 0.2, current employment 5,765, job change from last year -28.
• Musselshell: rank 51, unemployment rate 4.5, change over year 0.1, current employment 1,802, job change from last year -46.
• Granite: rank 53, unemployment rate 5.2, change over year 0.3, current employment 1,215, job change from last year -93.
• Lincoln: rank 54, unemployment rate 5.6, change over year -0.1, current employment 8,022, job change from last year -93.
• Big Horn: rank 55, unemployment rate 5.7, change over year 0.2, current employment 4,086, job change from last year -181.
• Madison: rank 56, unemployment rate 7.7, change over year 1.4, current employment 2,721, job change from last year -326.

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 2.9 percent. Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.

• Flathead: rank 1, unemployment rate 3.9, change over year -0.3, current employment 13,579, job change from last year -158.
• Fort Peck: rank 2, unemployment rate 5.1, change over year -0.6, current employment 3,005, job change from last year -35.
• Blackfeet: rank 3, unemployment rate 6, change over year 0.3, current employment 4,208, job change from last year -28.
• Rocky Boy’s: rank 4, unemployment rate 8, change over year 0, current employment 923, job change from last year -3.
• Northern Cheyenne: rank 5, unemployment rate 8.9, change over year 2.6, current employment 1,324, job change from last year -64.
• Crow: rank 6, unemployment rate 9.2, change over year 0.2, current employment 1,964, job change from last year -79.
• Fort Belknap: rank 7, unemployment rate 11.6, change over year 0.6, current employment 819, job change from last year -21.