Flathead adds 1,574 jobs in past year

Flathead County has added 1,574 jobs over the past year, according to a Montana Department of Labor report that ranks the unemployment rates of Montana’s counties.

Flathead’s unemployment rate in November was 5.8 percent, up slightly from 5.2 percent in October. It’s a full percentage point higher than in September, which was the lowest level in more than six years.

Even though Flathead County’s unemployment rate has improved in 2014 compared to the past several years, the county ranked 48th among Montana’s 56 counties, tied with Lake County.

Fallon County ranked first for the lowest unemployment rate at 1.4 percent. Richland County was second with 1.6 percent. Both are in Eastern Montana and benefit from the Bakken oil boom.

In November, Flathead County had a total labor force of 44,100 with 2,576 unemployed workers. Lake County posted 5.8 percent unemployment and has lost 27 jobs over the year.

Sanders County ranked 54th, with 9.7 percent unemployment in November. Lincoln County is back in double digits at 10.6 percent, ranking 55th on the state list. Sanders County has lost 32 jobs in the past year, while Lincoln County added 195 jobs.

Glacier County has the worst jobless scenario, with 10.8 percent unemployment. It ranked last on the list.

Montana’s statewide unemployment rate dropped again in November, down 0.2 percentage points to 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate has decreased by a full percentage point since January. The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.8 percent.

Montana’s total employment levels increased by 475 jobs over the last month, with 12,328 jobs added since last November.

Preliminary numbers indicate strong job growth of 2.5 percent in 2014, much higher than the average historical growth rate of about 1 percent annually going back to 1976.