Montana unemployment dips to 4 percent; 3.1 in Missoula County

The state's unemployment rate fell to 4 percent for the month of April, a strong sign of Montana's continued economic growth, Gov. Steve Bullock said.

The unemployment rate in Missoula County held at 3.1 percent and 5.1 percent in Flathead County. The U.S. unemployment rate also fell to 3.9 percent.

“More Montanans have jobs than ever before in our state’s history and the middle class in Montana is growing faster than every other state in the nation,” Bullock said. “We are and will continue to fuel this economic growth by making sure workers and businesses alike have the resources they need to succeed.”

According to the Montana Department of Revenue Both, payroll and total employment levels posted insignificant decreases over the last month. Small gains were seen in leisure and hospitality.

There was also a small but insignificant drop in the labor force participation rate over the last month. However, the number of people in Montana’s labor force remains at record levels, according to DOR.

The unemployment rate in Mineral County is listed 7.9 percent, and 6.6 percent in Sanders County. Lake County recorded an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent and 3.7 percent in Ravalli County.