Why Montana Jobs Still Depend on Where You Live

Montana's "urban counties" continue to follow very individual patterns when it comes to their employment levels, with two of the fastest-growing counties at opposite ends of the spectrum.

A detailed look at last week's February jobless report from the state shows Gallatin County continues to lead Montana with a very low 2.3% unemployment rate, even though it's off 910 jobs year over year.

In contrast, Flathead County's joblessness is nearly twice as high, although still a manageable 3.9%, which is nearly half a point better than last year.

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What are the chances for work in Montana's largest cities?

Missoula County continues to have a stable jobs picture, registering 3.2% in February, while Yellowstone County is at 3.3%. Billings has dropped 183 jobs over the past year, while Missoula has added 755, even with the shutdown of two mills. (Note: County rates are not seasonly adjusted)

Both Lewis & Clark and Cascade counties continue at just over 3%, just above the statewide average of 2.8%.

Ag jobs still a strong choice, while Western MT counties lag behind

If you live in a small, rural county in Montana, you continue to have the best chance of having a job, unless that area used to see most of its jobs from the timber industry.

That pattern has been common for years now, and the most recent unemployment numbers show it hasn't changed, even with the economic forces since the pandemic.

February's jobless report continues to show Carter and Fallon counties, along with Choteau county, having the lowest unemployment in the state, at 2% or less. And while state officials continue to celebrate record low unemployment, some of the "timber counties", where logging used to be the major economic force, continue to struggle.

Sanders County's unemployment is 7.4%, the worst in the state, with Mineral, Granite and Lincoln counties at 6% or just below.

RELATED: Montana's Job Seeker Resources