Counties with the highest unemployment in Montana

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Montana, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Montana.

49. Prairie County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 670 people (15 unemployed)

49. Richland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,794 people (125 unemployed)

46. Dawson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,354 people (102 unemployed)

46. Hill County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,506 people (172 unemployed)

46. Meagher County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,027 people (24 unemployed)

44. Chouteau County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,476 people (60 unemployed)

44. Beaverhead County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,198 people (126 unemployed)

38. McCone County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 969 people (24 unemployed)

38. Teton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,760 people (70 unemployed)

38. Judith Basin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,036 people (26 unemployed)

38. Lewis and Clark County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,376 people (1,003 unemployed)

38. Liberty County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 961 people (24 unemployed)

38. Sheridan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,720 people (43 unemployed)

37. Valley County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,943 people (102 unemployed)

32. Custer County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,461 people (175 unemployed)

32. Deer Lodge County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,314 people (145 unemployed)

32. Sweet Grass County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,897 people (52 unemployed)

32. Toole County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,997 people (53 unemployed)

32. Jefferson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,204 people (167 unemployed)

30. Cascade County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,259 people (1,110 unemployed)

30. Yellowstone County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 87,507 people (2,418 unemployed)

26. Pondera County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,483 people (75 unemployed)

26. Rosebud County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,611 people (109 unemployed)

26. Park County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,812 people (298 unemployed)

26. Broadwater County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,808 people (85 unemployed)

25. Silver Bow County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,779 people (551 unemployed)

20. Carbon County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,827 people (186 unemployed)

20. Ravalli County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,147 people (705 unemployed)

20. Roosevelt County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,171 people (133 unemployed)

20. Musselshell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,434 people (78 unemployed)

20. Missoula County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 68,664 people (2,176 unemployed)

19. Wibaux County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 429 people (14 unemployed)

16. Garfield County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 730 people (25 unemployed)

16. Powell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,952 people (100 unemployed)

16. Fergus County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,784 people (198 unemployed)

15. Blaine County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,137 people (74 unemployed)

14. Petroleum County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 275 people (10 unemployed)

12. Lake County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,117 people (516 unemployed)

12. Flathead County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,810 people (1,988 unemployed)

10. Madison County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,170 people (159 unemployed)

10. Granite County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,676 people (64 unemployed)

9. Golden Valley County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 377 people (15 unemployed)

8. Stillwater County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +2.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,247 people (221 unemployed)

7. Glacier County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,459 people (243 unemployed)

6. Big Horn County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,497 people (211 unemployed)

5. Phillips County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,742 people (84 unemployed)

4. Wheatland County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 762 people (39 unemployed)

3. Sanders County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,247 people (282 unemployed)

2. Lincoln County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,667 people (511 unemployed)

1. Mineral County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,752 people (114 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.