Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced Monday that the state’s unemployment rate fell to 3.3% in June 2026, nearly a full percentage point below the national rate of 4.2% and continuing a pattern of low joblessness that has marked the state’s recent economic performance.
Where Montana Stands
The June figures represent a modest improvement from the prior month. The number of Montanans counted as unemployed dropped by 450 over the month, though the headline improvement came alongside some mixed signals in the underlying data. Total employment dipped by roughly 300 positions, and payroll jobs — those tracked through employer filings — fell by 1,100 during the same period.
The sectors hit hardest on the payroll side were transportation, warehousing, and utilities, all of which posted notable declines in June. The state’s overall labor force also contracted slightly over the month, which partly explains why the unemployment rate can fall even as the raw number of jobs shrinks — fewer people actively seeking work means fewer counted as unemployed.
Gianforte framed the figures positively, saying that “Montana continues to rank in the top states with the lowest unemployment rates as businesses create more good-paying jobs and Montanans have more pathways to pursue a meaningful career.”
Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry, struck a measured tone, noting that “Montana’s unemployment rate has eased down slightly, signaling that more Montanans are securing jobs.”
County-by-County Breakdown
All 56 Montana counties were ranked by unemployment rate in the release. Carter and Prairie counties posted the lowest rates in the state at 1.9%, reflecting the tight rural labor markets common to Montana’s eastern plains. Gallatin County, home to Bozeman and one of the state’s fastest-growing economies, came in at 2.7% — still comfortably low by national standards despite its rapid population expansion in recent years.
Inflation Context
The announcement also touched on price data. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.4% in June on a seasonally adjusted basis. Over the past 12 months, the all-items index is up 3.5%, while core inflation — which strips out food and energy — increased 2.6% over the same period. Energy prices were the largest single contributor pulling the overall monthly index down, which analysts have flagged as a meaningful offset for household budgets heading into summer.
The monthly all-items movement was the largest single-month decrease recorded since April 2020, when pandemic-driven demand collapses sent prices sharply lower. That comparison underscores how unusual the current energy-driven softness is relative to the inflationary environment of the past several years.
What Comes Next
The next Labor Market Information report, covering July data, is scheduled for release on August 21, 2026. Analysts will be watching whether the payroll job declines in transportation and warehousing reverse course or deepen, and whether the labor force participation rate stabilizes after the modest June contraction.
Montana’s low unemployment rate is likely to remain a central talking point for Gianforte and Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 general election, where statewide economic conditions typically influence voter sentiment. The state has consistently hovered near the bottom of national unemployment rankings over the past two years, giving incumbents a favorable backdrop even as other policy questions — from public lands management to local governance — continue to generate political friction.
For context on broader economic pressures affecting Montana communities, fentanyl seizures and related public safety costs have also drawn increased attention from state officials, illustrating that low unemployment alone does not resolve every challenge facing Montana households and local governments.
