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Valley County, MT Economy
Unemployment was 2.5% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $52,397 a year on average.
- Unemployment rate
- 2.5%
- -0.4 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 3,584
- -2.4% in a year
- Income per person
- $59,938
- 25th of 56 in MT
- Average annual pay
- $52,397
- 2,826 jobs, 2025
Unemployment rate in Valley County
Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.
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| Period | Valley County |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 2.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.8% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.0% |
| Dec 2023 | 2.8% |
| Dec 2022 | 2.5% |
| Dec 2021 | 2.8% |
| Dec 2020 | 4.0% |
| Dec 2019 | 3.7% |
| Dec 2018 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2017 | 3.3% |
| Dec 2016 | 4.2% |
| Dec 2015 | 3.6% |
| Dec 2014 | 3.0% |
| Dec 2013 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2012 | 3.7% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Jobs and pay by industry
Private employers in Valley County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.
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| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 330 | -0.9% | $20,987 |
| Retail trade | 290 | -4.0% | $36,793 |
| Construction | 165 | +68.4% | $80,785 |
| Wholesale trade | 148 | +5.0% | $72,267 |
| Other services | 71 | -1.4% | $33,110 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 65 | 0.0% | $34,984 |
| Administrative and support services | 58 | -47.3% | $51,222 |
| Professional and technical services | 50 | -35.9% | $66,651 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 49 | +19.5% | $19,869 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 48 | -22.6% | $40,154 |
| Utilities | 31 | +3.3% | $96,615 |
Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 2,716 jobs (-3.8% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $951.
Income and output
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024
- Total personal income
- $446M
- -1.1% in a year
- Income per person
- $59,938
- MT: $69,240
- GDP
- $394M
- Current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- -3.3%
- Adjusted for inflation
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| Period | Valley County |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,938 |
| 2023 | $60,304 |
| 2022 | $61,484 |
| 2021 | $59,671 |
| 2020 | $49,716 |
| 2019 | $45,647 |
| 2018 | $44,183 |
| 2017 | $44,557 |
| 2016 | $40,739 |
| 2015 | $41,637 |
| 2014 | $42,243 |
| 2013 | $44,075 |
| 2012 | $41,965 |
| 2011 | $36,894 |
| 2010 | $35,290 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Valley County.
Business profileBusinesses in Valley County
County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024
- Employer businesses
- 276
- Employees
- 2,183
- Mid-March
- Annual payroll
- $100M
- Self-employed businesses
- 568
- $29.09M receipts
By industry
- Retail trade4817.4%
- Construction3813.8%
- Accommodation and food services3412.3%
- Health care and social assistance3312.0%
- Other services259.1%
- Professional and technical services196.9%
- Finance and insurance155.4%
- Administrative and support services114.0%
By number of employees
- 1 to 416259.1%
- 5 to 96523.7%
- 10 to 193010.9%
- 20 to 49134.7%
- 50 to 9941.5%
- 100 to 24900.0%
- 250 to 49900.0%
- 500 to 99900.0%
- 1,000 or more00.0%
Neighboring counties
Unemployment rate, Aug 2026
| County | Rate | 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| Garfield County | 1.8% | -0.5 pts |
| Daniels County | 2.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Valley CountyThis county | 2.5% | -0.4 pts |
| Phillips County | 2.6% | -0.6 pts |
| McCone County | 3.0% | +0.6 pts |
| Roosevelt County | 4.5% | -0.4 pts |
Federal money in Valley County
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in Valley County, MT?
- The unemployment rate in Valley County was 2.5% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 3,584 people in the labor force.
- What is the average salary in Valley County?
- Jobs in Valley County paid an average of $52,397 in 2025 ($1,008 a week), across 2,826 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
- What are the biggest industries in Valley County?
- The largest private industries by jobs are accommodation and food services (330), retail trade (290), construction (165).
- What is the income per person in Valley County?
- Personal income per person was $59,938 in 2024, compared with $69,240 for Montana. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
- How many businesses are in Valley County?
- Valley County had 276 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 568 businesses with no employees.