Montana’s Unemployment Rate Falls to 3.1%

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1 percent in September. Montana’s unemployment rate was lower than the national unemployment rate, which rose to 4.2 percent. Montana ranks in the top ten states with the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

“As our economy continues to show strong growth and our unemployment rate remains low, we celebrate our progress to ensure hardworking Montanans can secure a good-paying job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “From historic investments in workforce training to creating clear pathways to careers in key industries, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry is unlocking the full potential of our workforce.”

Total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self‑employed workers) increased by nearly 400 jobs in September, while the number of unemployed fell by 379 over the month. Payroll jobs declined by 1,300 jobs, most of which was concentrated in the Accommodation and Food Service, and Finance and Insurance sectors.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in September. Over the last 12 months, the all-items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for gasoline rose 9.1 percent in September, accounting for over half of the monthly all-items increase. Core inflation, or the index for all items less food and energy, rose 2.6 percent over the last twelve months.

“Montana’s unemployment rate edged lower this month, but helping employers find the right skills remains a priority,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. “That means working directly with businesses to understand their needs and helping Montanans build on the skills they already have to move into better-paying jobs.”

##

** 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 October 2026, will be released on Friday, November 20th.

**** 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 2.5%.