Montana’s unemployment rate dropped slightly in October while Flathead’s rose for the first time since last spring and now stands at 10.8 percent. The county’s non-seasonally adjusted jobless numbers had fallen for six straight months.
Flathead’s jobless rate rose a full point since September, but is still well below March’s record-breaking number. It is tied with Mineral County for the fifth-highest rate in the state. Neighboring Lincoln and Sanders counties have the highest unemployment rate at 13.9 percent.
Meanwhile, Montana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 7.4 percent to 7.3 percent in October due to a slight decline in the labor force.
Department of Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly says both employment and labor force estimates declined slightly from September to October.
The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.6 percent.
Payroll employment estimates fell by 200 jobs in October following a decline of about 1,000 jobs in September.
Flathead unemployment rates by month:
October 2010: 10.8%
September 2010: 9.8%
August 2010: 10.2%
July 2010: 10.8%
June 2010: 11.4%
May 2010: 11.5%
April 2010: 12.2%
March 2010: 13.8%
February 2010: 13.3%
January 2010: 13.2%
December 2009: 10.9%
November 2009: 10.1%
October 2009: 9.3%
The Associated Press contributed to this story.