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Montana Added Roughly 4,800 Jobs in First Quarter of 2017

There are 571 more local jobs than 12 months ago

By Beacon Staff
Construction at Kalispell Regional Healthcare on Sept. 1, 2016. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Montana has added roughly 4,800 jobs in the first three months of 2017, according to state labor statistics.

Gov. Steve Bullock on April 21 announced the latest jobs figures for Montana’s economy. The state’s unemployment rate remained 3.8 percent last month. The U.S. unemployment rate declined was 4.5 percent in March.

Payroll employment in Montana surged during the first quarter of 2017, increasing by nearly 4,800 jobs over the fourth quarter of 2016 on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry.

Barbara Wagner, chief economist for the state labor department, said the average growth rate for a three-month span is roughly 2,000 jobs, meaning the most recent quarter experienced “really good” jobs gains.

Industries with the largest gains included construction, professional and business services, and health care.

“Montana’s economy is strong and continues to grow and expand as we continue to find ways to ensure Montana businesses have a steady pipeline of trained and skilled employees,” stated Bullock.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Flathead County is 6.7 percent, the seventh highest rate in the state. There are 571 more local jobs than 12 months ago, according to state data.

Lincoln County has the second highest jobless rate in the state, 10.5 percent. The county has 151 more jobs than a year ago.

Big Horn County ranked highest in terms of unemployment rate, at 11.3 percent.

Sanders County’s unemployment rate was 9.5 percent, third highest in the state. The county has 36 fewer jobs than a year ago.

Click here for a breakdown of local unemployment rates.

There are more than 505,000 employed residents across the state.