![Montana’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.01 Percent](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2015/10/Unemployment-rates.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Montana’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.01 Percent
New data indicates that Montana’s unemployment rate dropped a bit in September, but is still hovering around four percent. Montana Department of Labor and Industry Economist Barbara Wagner says that most of the state is doing really well.
“Most of the northwest portion of the state has been doing pretty well this last year with improved job growth. Missoula actually added about 1,600 jobs over the month, which is actually faster job growth than we’ve seen in recent month. So that’s the good news.”
The story is not so optimistic for neighboring Mineral county, where timber industry layoffs were a big setback. Also, there are trends in eastern Montana that Wagner says are concerning.
“In eastern Montana, we are watching very closely because of the decline in oil prices. It has had a large impact on the oil related employment in the area, also in September we saw a bit of a drop in construction employment.”
Wagner says the downturn in construction employment may simply be because of the seasonal nature of that industry.
More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM
![UPDATE: Miller Peak Fire Near Missoula Grows to 1,700 Acres](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-MillerPeakFire-714-EDIT.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Court Victory for Montana Students With Special Needs](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-RS47253_GettyImages-494312894-scr-2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Stay Cool Missoula: Tips From Disaster Services Director](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-RS27921_GettyImages-1011404062-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Knife-Wielding Woman Arrested in Missoula After Altercation](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-featured-image-2024-07-15T122519.061.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Montana Gas Prices Continue to Rise, More Increases Are Expected](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/04/attachment-RS48332_GettyImages-178371765-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Saving Money on Energy Bills During Missoula’s Summer Heatwave](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-RS20739_GettyImages-488874060-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Missoula Asks for Help to Save Drought Stressed Boulevard Trees](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-Drought-Stredded-Trees-3.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Missoula Crime Report: Record Number of Weekly Felony Cases for 2024](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-RS24566_GettyImages-506978155-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![High-Speed Chase in Missoula Tops 105 MPH, Driver Flees on Foot](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-featured-image-25.jpg?w=980&q=75)