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Montana Unemployment Falls to Record Low 2.3% in March

The number of unemployed people in the state fell to 13,106 — a decline of 1,162 people from February

By Associated Press
Job Service Kalispell building. Beacon file photo

HELENA – Montana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped 0.3 percentage points in March to 2.3% as it continued to hit new record lows, Gov. Greg Gianforte said Friday.

The number of unemployed people in the state fell to 13,106 — a decline of 1,162 people from February.

Montana’s unemployment rate in recent months has been the lowest since records started being kept in 1976.

Also in March, the state’s total employment hit a new high — 545,360 workers. That’s up by more than 3,200 workers compared to February.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in March, down 0.2 percentage points from February’s rate.

Inflation has risen 8.5% over the past 12 months, a 40-year high. That’s driven prices sharply higher for purchases including gasoline, airfare, used cars and trucks and fuel oil.