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.”
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 2.9%.
| Unemployment Rate | Employment | ||||
| Rank | County | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Prairie | 1.6 | 0 | 627 | -105 |
| 2 | Carter | 1.7 | -0.1 | 624 | -23 |
| 2 | Powder River | 1.7 | -0.5 | 939 | -22 |
| 4 | Daniels | 1.8 | -0.6 | 692 | -29 |
| 5 | Garfield | 2 | 0 | 597 | -33 |
| 5 | Liberty | 2 | -0.2 | 861 | -13 |
| 5 | Sheridan | 2 | -0.8 | 1,619 | -31 |
| 8 | Custer | 2.2 | -0.2 | 6,414 | -142 |
| 8 | Toole | 2.2 | -0.5 | 2,132 | -65 |
| 10 | Beaverhead | 2.3 | -0.3 | 4,530 | -54 |
| 10 | Sweet Grass | 2.3 | -1.4 | 1,744 | 5 |
| 10 | Wibaux | 2.3 | -0.4 | 421 | -7 |
| 13 | Judith Basin | 2.4 | -0.8 | 924 | -18 |
| 13 | Park | 2.4 | -0.2 | 10,751 | 472 |
| 13 | Teton | 2.4 | -0.1 | 2,822 | -66 |
| 16 | Broadwater | 2.5 | -0.1 | 4,049 | 40 |
| 16 | Carbon | 2.5 | -0.4 | 5,513 | -58 |
| 16 | Dawson | 2.5 | 0.1 | 4,143 | -87 |
| 16 | Jefferson | 2.5 | -0.1 | 6,152 | 31 |
| 16 | Meagher | 2.5 | -0.1 | 938 | -20 |
| 16 | Richland | 2.5 | 0 | 5,397 | -174 |
| 22 | Chouteau | 2.6 | 0.2 | 2,562 | -118 |
| 22 | Fallon | 2.6 | 0.3 | 1,412 | -6 |
| 22 | Fergus | 2.6 | -0.2 | 5,692 | -14 |
| 22 | Missoula | 2.6 | -0.2 | 70,649 | 6 |
| 22 | Valley | 2.6 | 0 | 3,427 | -98 |
| 22 | Gallatin | 2.6 | 0 | 76,096 | 201 |
| 28 | Lewis and Clark | 2.7 | -0.1 | 36,965 | 350 |
| 29 | Blaine | 2.8 | 0.3 | 2,583 | -66 |
| 29 | Golden Valley | 2.8 | 0.1 | 423 | -9 |
| 29 | Hill | 2.8 | -0.1 | 6,998 | 147 |
| 29 | McCone | 2.8 | 0.5 | 820 | -24 |
| 29 | Stillwater | 2.8 | -0.7 | 4,521 | -46 |
| 29 | Treasure | 2.8 | 0.9 | 353 | -14 |
| 29 | Yellowstone | 2.8 | -0.1 | 86,523 | -251 |
| 36 | Phillips | 2.9 | -0.1 | 1,926 | -62 |
| 36 | Cascade | 2.9 | 0 | 38,106 | -492 |
| 38 | Flathead | 3 | -0.2 | 59,098 | 754 |
| 39 | Pondera | 3.1 | -0.1 | 2,306 | -82 |
| 39 | Ravalli | 3.1 | -0.2 | 20,417 | -9 |
| 41 | Lake | 3.2 | -0.2 | 14,117 | -165 |
| 42 | Silver Bow | 3.4 | -0.1 | 17,210 | 18 |
| 43 | Deer Lodge | 3.5 | -0.1 | 4,313 | 39 |
| 44 | Roosevelt | 3.6 | -0.6 | 3,575 | -33 |
| 45 | Mineral | 3.7 | -0.4 | 2,183 | -18 |
| 45 | Petroleum | 3.7 | 0.5 | 234 | -8 |
| 45 | Powell | 3.7 | 0.1 | 2,396 | -128 |
| 48 | Wheatland | 3.8 | -0.6 | 678 | -23 |
| 49 | Rosebud | 4 | 1.5 | 3,588 | -180 |
| 50 | Sanders | 4.4 | -0.5 | 4,832 | -82 |
| 51 | Glacier | 4.5 | 0.2 | 5,765 | -28 |
| 51 | Musselshell | 4.5 | 0.1 | 1,802 | -46 |
| 53 | Granite | 5.2 | 0.3 | 1,215 | -93 |
| 54 | Lincoln | 5.6 | -0.1 | 8,022 | -93 |
| 55 | Big Horn | 5.7 | 0.2 | 4,086 | -181 |
| 56 | Madison | 7.7 | 1.4 | 2,721 | -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%. Reservation areas overlap with county areas, meaning that unemployed individuals living on a reservation will be included in both the reservation and county totals.
| Unemployment Rate | Employment | ||||
| Rank | Area | Current Unemployment Rate | Change over Year | Current Employment | Job Change from Last Year |
| 1 | Flathead | 3.9 | -0.3 | 13,579 | -158 |
| 2 | Fort Peck | 5.1 | -0.6 | 3,005 | -35 |
| 3 | Blackfeet | 6 | 0.3 | 4,208 | -28 |
| 4 | Rocky Boy’s | 8 | 0 | 923 | -3 |
| 5 | Northern Cheyenne | 8.9 | 2.6 | 1,324 | -64 |
| 6 | Crow | 9.2 | 0.2 | 1,964 | -79 |
| 7 | Fort Belknap | 11.6 | 0.6 | 819 | -21 |
