Flathead jobless rate improves

The unemployment rate in Flathead County and Northwest Montana continued to improve during September, paralleling a similar improvement statewide.

The local unemployment rate went from 7.9 percent in August to 7.4 percent in September, according to statistics released Friday by the state Department of Labor.

Flathead County has a total work force of 43,096, with 3,196 unemployed workers.

Sanders and Lincoln counties also are on a downward trend in their jobless numbers. Sanders County’s unemployment rate improved to 10.6 percent in September, from 12 percent in August. Lincoln County’s rate went from 11.9 percent in August to 10.7 percent in September.

Lake County likewise saw improvement, with 7.6 percent unemployment in September, compared to 8.4 percent in August.

Statewide, the unemployment rate improved to 6.1 percent in September, down from 6.3 percent in August.

“Montana’s unemployment rate continued its downward trend this month with strong job gains of 1,100 jobs,” Montana Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly said in a prepared statement. “Over the last year, the number of unemployed people has dropped by 11 percent with many more Montanans back at work.”

Both Montana and the U.S. unemployment rates made significant movements downward in September, echoing the declines at this time last year. Montana’s employment growth rate over the last year remains at 1.7 percent, above its long-term average of 1.2 percent since the series started in 1976.

At the U.S. level, employment has grown by 2 percent in the last year, compared to a 1.3 percent average annual growth rate using the same time period.

Montana’s total employment increased by 1,130 jobs in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Total employment includes both payroll workers, plus agricultural and self-employed workers. Payroll employment estimates indicated an increase of 600 jobs, with a gain of 1,200 jobs in the private sector and a decline of 600 government jobs.

Job gains were greatest in the professional and business services industry and in construction. Preliminary estimates indicate that the construction industry has been adding jobs since the fourth quarter of 2011, Kelly said.