State jobless rate increases; county rate drops two-tenths

While the state unemployment rate increased slightly last month to 6.4 percent, joblessness in Lincoln County fell two-tenths of a percent to 12.6 percent in July.

Statewide, the unemployment rate increased with the overall loss of 700 jobs.  The national rate also increased by 0.1 percent, but remains significantly higher than Montana’s rate at 8.3 percent.

“Montana has seen a gain of almost 4,200 jobs since January,” said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly.  “Employment is much higher than at the start of the year and despite the small job loss this month the trends indicate we will continue to add more jobs this year.”

In Lincoln County, Job Service Director Johnette Watkins attributed the local decline in unemployment to an improving economy.

“I just returned from Missoula of a meeting of Job Service managers, and the general feeling is the economy is improving,” Watkins said. “I agree. I hope it translates here for Libby, but that’s the general feeling that the economy is improving.”

The Montana Labor Department indicated even with the job losses this month, employment is much higher than at the start of the year.  Total employment estimates (which include payroll, self-employed, and agricultural workers) indicate a job loss of 735 in July, but a gain of almost 4,200 jobs since January.  

The 700 lost jobs represent approximately 0.2 percent of total employment, and therefore both the total and payroll jobs estimates could be interpreted as no significant change.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in July.  Energy prices declined by 0.3 percent, while the food index, and all items other than food and energy index, both increased by 0.1 percent.