Economy at a Glance Articles
Childcare In Montana
March 2023
Montana's Outdoor Economy
January 2023Montana’s mountains, rivers, plains, and lakes offer ample opportunities for recreation, enjoyed by both residents and visitors. Whether people camp, hike, ski, hunt, fish, float, or bike, they contribute to the “outdoor economy” by spending money and interacting with businesses. This month’s article explores Montana’s outdoor recreation economy: the activities people pursue, the places they recreate, and how recreation has changed over the past two years since the COVID pandemic.
Housing Affordability in Montana
November 2022
The Economic Contribution of Entrepreneurship in Montana
July 2022
Montana's Got the Goods
May 2022
How Healthy is Montana's Healthcare Industry?
March 2022
Can I Get a Side of Workers?
January 2022
Recruiting Montana
November 2021
Montana Labor Day Report 2021: A Summary
September 2021
Where are the Workers?
July 2021
More Money, More... Inflation?
June 2021
Who are Montana's Long-Term Unemployed?
May 2021
2020 Hindsight
March 2021
A Tale of Two Recessions
February 2021
Telework and Non-Telework Occupations
January 2021Examines the different impacts of the pandemic for teleworkers and non-teleworkers.
December 2020
Out of the Office
December 2020How a lack of child care has impacted Montana businesses
November 2020
Apprenticeship in Montana and the Growing Demand for Apprenticeable Jobs
November 2020How Montana’s Registered Apprentice Program continues to evolve with the needs of the economy.
October 2020
Medicaid Expansion and Montana Businesses
October 2020This article summarizes research on the utilization of Medicaid Expansion for health insurance among Montana’s workforce and employers.
September 2020
Understanding the Unemployment Rate during the COVID-19 Pandemic
September 2020Explores an array of statistics to gain a fuller understanding of the labor market impacts of COVID-19 and the recovery so far.
August 2020
Montana Job Switching in Good Times and in Bad Times
August 2020This article examines potential trends in job switching as Montana recovers from the COVID-19 recession.
July 2020
The COVID-19 Recession: Frequently Asked Questions
July 2020This recession is unique compared with prior downturns, and it has led to several questions. This article answers the most common of these questions.
June 2020
Responding to a Pandemic
June 2020This article shows the economic impact of the COVID-19 public health crisis and explains the macroeconomic concepts behind these events.
May 2020
Montana's Unemployment Claims
April 2020Exploring Montana's UI claims to illustrate the early impacts of COVID-19 on the state economy.
April 2020
Entrepreneurship, Business Survival Rates, and Job Creation in Montana
March 2020How long do new businesses last in Montana?
March 2020
Montana's Reservation Economies
February 2020An overview of the economic conditions on Montana's seven reservations.
February 2020
What is Montana's Top Industry?
December 2019How each industry in Montana contributes to the statewide economy.
December 2019
Who Are Montana's Tech-Related Workers?
November 2019A look at the role tech-related workers play in Montana's economy.
November 2019
Home Under the Big Sky
October 2019A look at the current state of Montana's Housing Market.
October 2019
Destination Montana
September 2019Highlighting worker migration's role in Montana’s economy.
September 2019
Jobs of Tomorrow: Montana Job Projections 2018-2028
August 2019A summary of the 2018-2028 Montana Employment Projections.
August 2019
Anticipating the Next Recession
July 2019A discussion of the economic indicators economists use to predict recessions.
July 2019
No Workers, No Problem
June 2019Explores the importance of productivity in helping Montana maintain economic growth while workers are hard to find.
June 2019
Where are the Workers?
May 2019As businesses struggle to find workers, it is essential to understand why some people choose not to participate in the labor force.
May 2019
Understanding the Childcare Workforce
April 2019This article explores the employment and wages of childcare workers, who are a critical component in addressing the state’s workforce shortage.
April 2019
Job-to-Job Hires and Separations
March 2019This article dives under the calm surface of net employment growth to highlight the frequency of underlying job changes.
March 2019
Understanding the Work Lives of the Not-so-Rich and Famous
February 2019An examination of the work and spending patterns of different income groups in Montana.
February 2019
The Economic Impact of Medicaid in Montana
December 2018A study examining the number of workers enrolled in Montana Medicaid and the characteristics of the businesses who employ them.
December 2018
The Changing Face of Apprenticeship in Montana
November 2018Apprenticeship is expanding in Montana, with higher participation and a greater diversity of apprentices.
November 2018
Where Does Wage Growth Come From?
October 2018An examination of the factors that cause wages to grow in Montana.
October 2018
Childcare in Montana
September 2018This article explores the availability and affordability of childcare in Montana, and how it affects the state’s workforce.
September 2018
Montana 2018 Labor Day Report in Brief
August 2018A summary of this year's Labor Day Report, a report to the governor on the current state of Montana's economy.
August 2018
A Rising Tide: Who Experienced Wage Growth in Montana?
June 2018Does Montana's recent wage growth extend to workers in all income brackets?
June 2018
Is it Time for a Raise?
May 2018Understanding Montana's Wage Growth since the Great Recession
June 2018
It's Never Too Early to Learn About Careers
April 2018Career education should begin well before middle school. Montana Career Lab has the resources to help.
April 2018
Montana's Outdoor Economy
March 2018While economists are still perfecting how to measure the benefits of outdoor recreation in Montana, it is already obvious that it provides large benefits to the state.
March 2018
Montana's Entrepreneurs
February 2018
Economic Growth in Rural Montana
December 2017Education, innovation, and distribution of knowledge can be an effective economic development tool for rural areas.
Montana Employment Growth Outpaces the Nation
November 2017Which of Montana's industries are outperforming the nation in employment growth?
Does Your College Major Matter in the Workforce?
October 2017Our study of workforce outcomes finds that a student's major is only one determinate of career success.
Online Job Postings as Economic Data
September 2017Online job postings can tell us whether employers are hiring, what occupations are in demand, and what skills are needed to fill jobs
Montana College Graduates
June 2017A summary of the State College Report 2017
Happy on Mondays
May 2017The importance of Montana's 55-and-over labor force.
What is Inflation and Why do we Care?
April 2017What is Inflation and Why do we Care? The answer is not as simple as you think.
Is Small Business Big in Montana?
March 2017How large a role do small businesses play in Montana’s economy?
The Economic Contribution of Montana's Nonprofits
December 2016Montana nonprofits provided more than 51,000 jobs and paid over $2.1 billion in wages in 2015
The Nursing Workforce in Montana
November 2016Nurses play a part in nearly all facets of healthcare delivery, and understanding the characteristics of these workers is essential to predicting future workforce needs.
STEM Jobs in Montana
October 2016This article reports on the current level of STEM employment in Montana and helps students and job seekers to determine whether STEM is right for them.
Understanding the Unemployment Rate
June 2016In contrast to more abstract concepts like gross domestic product, personal income, or inflation, the unemployment rate seems very straightforward. But is it really?
The Demographics of Unemployment Insurance Claimants
May 2016This article explores the demographics of Montana’s UI claimants to gain insights about labor market, industry, and seasonal employment trends
Equal Pay Day
April 2016This article examines the evidence for the gender wage gap in Montana
The Economics of Rural Health Care
March 2016This article examines the unique characteristics of health care supply and demand and how they affect Montana’s rural communities
