GREAT FALLS — Governor Greg Gianforte on Tuesday announced that Montana’s unemployment rate rose to 3.4 percent in December, continuing the record of four-plus consecutive years of unemployment at or below 3.4 percent.
Gianforte said in a news release that Montana’s unemployment rate was 1.0 percent lower than the national unemployment rate, which was 4.4 percent in December. Montana remained in the top ten states in the nation with the lowest unemployment rates.
Montana’s labor force added approximately 1,150 workers over the last month, while total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers) increased by 500, resulting in an increase in the unemployment rate. Payroll jobs grew by over 2,000 in December, with the largest gains in construction and leisure activities.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in December. Over the last twelve months, the all items index increased 2.7 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose 0.4 percent in December and was the largest factor in the all items monthly increase. Core inflation, or the index for all items less food and energy, rose 2.6 percent over the last twelve months.
