Montana Unemployment Rate Remains at 3.6% in February 2026

Montana’s Unemployment Rate Remains at 3.6%

Governor's Office
- April 22 2026

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent in February. Montana’s unemployment rate was lower than the national unemployment rate, which rose to 4.4 percent in February.

“To keep pace with our growing workforce demands, we’re prioritizing pathways to good-paying jobs for all Montanans,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Whether in a career, college, or military, the state is equipped more than ever before to support Montanans, strengthen our workforce, and prepare the next generation to meet the needs of our job creators.”

Montana’s labor force declined in February but has grown by nearly 3,000 workers over the last twelve months. Unemployment in Montana declined over the past month, as did total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers). As a result, the state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged. Payroll jobs declined by 500 jobs in February, with declines in leisure activities partially offset by gains in construction employment.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in February. Over the last twelve months, the all items index increased 2.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose 0.2 percent in February and was the largest factor in the all items monthly increase. Core inflation, or the index for all items minus food and energy, rose 2.5 percent over the last twelve months.

In August 2025, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry released a report showing that more than 100,000 working age Montanans are not employed and not seeking work. Through Gov. Gianforte’s 406 JOBS Initiative, the statewide workforce system is reducing barriers to work and helping Montanans enter or re-enter the labor force with a specific focus on health care, construction, hospitality and recreation, advanced manufacturing and computing, education and child care, and financial and professional services.

“Montana continues to demonstrate a strong and growing labor market,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. “Through the 406 JOBS initiative, we are expanding access to training, strengthening connections between employers and job seekers, and breaking down barriers so more Montanans can step into meaningful, good-paying careers.”

More information on 406 JOBS can be viewed here.

*** 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 March 2026, will be released on Wednesday, May 6.

****** 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 4.1 % .

| **** | | Unemployment Rate | | Employment | |
| Rank | County | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Treasure | 1.9 | -0.7 | 362 | -14 |
| 2 | Carter | 2.2 | 0.6 | 637 | -30 |
| 2 | Powder River | 2.2 | -0.5 | 890 | -22 |
| 2 | Prairie | 2.2 | -0.3 | 713 | -23 |
| 5 | Liberty | 2.3 | -0.1 | 857 | -41 |
| 6 | Daniels | 2.4 | -0.2 | 694 | -26 |
| 7 | Richland | 2.7 | -0.1 | 5,497 | -50 |
| 7 | Gallatin | 2.7 | 0.3 | 75,264 | -1,349 |
| 9 | Fallon | 2.8 | 1 | 1,396 | -64 |
| 10 | Beaverhead | 2.9 | 0 | 4,484 | -81 |
| 10 | Sweet Grass | 2.9 | -0.5 | 1,668 | -10 |
| 10 | Wibaux | 2.9 | -0.5 | 395 | 0 |
| 13 | Chouteau | 3.1 | 0.9 | 2,574 | -100 |
| 13 | Golden Valley | 3.1 | -0.1 | 413 | -8 |
| 13 | Toole | 3.1 | 0.5 | 2,084 | -77 |
| 16 | Dawson | 3.2 | 0.6 | 4,189 | -51 |
| 16 | Meagher | 3.2 | -0.3 | 1,043 | -14 |
| 18 | Judith Basin | 3.3 | -0.2 | 887 | -57 |
| 19 | Teton | 3.5 | 0.6 | 2,800 | -7 |
| 20 | Carbon | 3.6 | -0.2 | 5,391 | -73 |
| 20 | Jefferson | 3.6 | 0.1 | 5,990 | -12 |
| 20 | Rosebud | 3.6 | 0.1 | 3,390 | -43 |
| 20 | Sheridan | 3.6 | 0.4 | 1,659 | 0 |
| 20 | Stillwater | 3.6 | -1.2 | 4,422 | -57 |
| 25 | Broadwater | 3.7 | 0.6 | 3,916 | 5 |
| 25 | Yellowstone | 3.7 | 0.1 | 84,243 | -232 |
| 25 | Cascade | 3.7 | 0.1 | 37,286 | -1,113 |
| 28 | Custer | 3.8 | 0.3 | 6,199 | -166 |
| 28 | Hill | 3.8 | 0.9 | 6,796 | 5 |
| 28 | McCone | 3.8 | 0.9 | 813 | -27 |
| 31 | Lewis and Clark | 3.9 | 0.5 | 35,842 | 90 |
| 31 | Missoula | 3.9 | 0.4 | 68,754 | -221 |
| 33 | Park | 4.1 | 0.6 | 9,703 | 313 |
| 34 | Blaine | 4.2 | 1.3 | 2,600 | -100 |
| 35 | Pondera | 4.3 | 0.6 | 2,317 | -75 |
| 35 | Valley | 4.3 | 0.6 | 3,371 | -144 |
| 37 | Deer Lodge | 4.6 | 0.3 | 4,214 | -55 |
| 37 | Fergus | 4.6 | 0 | 5,517 | -48 |
| 39 | Garfield | 4.7 | 0.6 | 594 | -39 |
| 39 | Silver Bow | 4.7 | 0.7 | 16,836 | 141 |
| 39 | Flathead | 4.7 | 0.5 | 58,155 | 1,244 |
| 42 | Ravalli | 5 | 0.6 | 20,072 | 321 |
| 42 | Wheatland | 5 | -1.5 | 661 | -41 |
| 44 | Lake | 5.3 | 0.7 | 13,762 | -65 |
| 44 | Phillips | 5.3 | 0.3 | 1,899 | -86 |
| 44 | Roosevelt | 5.3 | 1.1 | 3,545 | 24 |
| 47 | Musselshell | 5.9 | 0.5 | 1,816 | -32 |
| 47 | Petroleum | 5.9 | 1.4 | 223 | -11 |
| 47 | Powell | 5.9 | 0.6 | 2,452 | -21 |
| 50 | Glacier | 6.3 | 1.2 | 5,413 | -45 |
| 50 | Mineral | 6.3 | 0.3 | 2,146 | -22 |
| 52 | Madison | 6.4 | 1 | 3,147 | 161 |
| 53 | Big Horn | 6.7 | 1.6 | 4,133 | -196 |
| 54 | Granite | 7.7 | 1 | 1,252 | -14 |
| 55 | Sanders | 7.9 | 0 | 4,625 | 50 |
| 56 | Lincoln | 8.4 | 1 | 7,860 | 6 |
******** 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 4.1 % . Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.

| Rank | Area | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Flathead | 6.5 | 0.8 | 13,224 | -50 |
| 2 | Fort Peck | 7.6 | 1.4 | 2,978 | 3 |
| 3 | Blackfeet | 8.4 | 1.6 | 3,968 | -39 |
| 4 | Northern Cheyenne | 8.5 | 0.7 | 1,281 | -33 |
| 5 | Rocky Boy's | 10.6 | 2.5 | 907 | -13 |
| 6 | Crow | 11 | 2.3 | 1,979 | -86 |
| 7 | Fort Belknap | 17.9 | 3.1 | 823 | -32 |

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