Montana's unemployment rate dropped another 0.3% to 6.8% in December after four straight months of decreases. The unemployment rate has plunged by a full percentage point since August. U.S. unemployment has also been receding since August, decreasing 0.6% in the last four months. The U.S. rate fell to 8.5% in December.
Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly said the strong employment growth in the second half of the year improves the state's outlook for 2012 and signals an even stronger economy ahead.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged for December, marking two straight months of stable prices. Declines in the energy index offset increases in other prices. The index for all items less food and energy (also called core inflation) increased by 0.1%, ending the year with an annual increase of 2.2%.
The statewide unemployment high is in Lincoln County who went up this month to 15.5% from 14.4% Sanders County kept the second highest unemployment for the state. They also rose to 15.2% from 14.0% last month.
Fourteen counties now separate the statewide high from the high in the east. Rosebud County for eighth month in a row held the eastern high. Rosebud sits at 7.3% unemployment up from 6.8% last month. Second highest in the east is Roosevelt County. Roosevelt is also up to 6.8% from 6.4% last month.
Statewide and in the east Fallon County boasts the lowest unemployment in Montana for a fourth month. There are three counties in eastern Montana – and in the state – with under 3% unemployment. Fallon County held at 2.0%. Richland County now has the second lowest in the state at 2.3% down for the fourth month in a row. Last month Richland was at 2.6%. McCone is at 2.5% up slightly from last month's 2.4%.
These are the unemployment rates for remainder of eastern Montana Counties.
Carter is up to 3.1% from 2.8% .
Custer County is up to 3.7% from 3.4%.
Daniels County is up for a second month to 4.5% from 4.2%.
Dawson County held at 3.1%.
Garfield County is up to 4.9% from 4.2%.
Powder River County is up to 4.7% from 4.1% .
Prairie County is up to 3.8% from to 3.3%.
Sheridan County is up to 3.5% from 3.0%.
Treasure is down for a second month to 3.2% from 4.0%.
Valley County is up to 4.3% from 4.0%.
and Wibaux County is down to 3.7% from 4.0% unemployment.
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