Montana unemployment rate fell to 9% in May

(KPAX) HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock has announced that Montana’s fell 2.9% points to 9.0% in May.

The Montana unemployment rate remained below the national rate of 13.3% in May.

Montana posted the third-fastest payroll employment growth among states in May with 4% over the month growth, and had the seventh-lowest unemployment rate in the country, according to a news release.

Private payroll employment posted a record-breaking gain of 15,700 jobs over the month, with improvement across most private industries.

Job losses in the local government sector kept overall payroll employment gains to 13,300 jobs.

Total employment (including both payroll jobs and the self-employed) added 16,780 jobs over the month – the most jobs added in any single month since the data series began in 1976.