In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
In May, Montana added 3,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.1 percent. In the prior month, Montana added 1,200 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Montana added 13,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 2.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Montana ranks 6th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Montana’s private sector added 1,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 11,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Montana added 600 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Montana rose by 169, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,489.
Montana’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.8 percent in May and ranks 28th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.
Montana added 3,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.6 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Montana added 1,200 jobs. Montana nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Montana ranks 6th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Montana added 1,300 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Montana added 600 jobs. Montana private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Montana is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Government (1,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (1,200).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-100) and Professional and Business Services (-800).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Leisure and Hospitality (4,300) and Education and Health Services (2,700).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (-100) and Information (-200).
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Montana remained unchanged at 62.8 percent in May.
Montana ranks 28th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Montana was 64 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 62.2 percent occurring in September 2021.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.