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These Are The 10 Best Places Places In Montana To Get A Job

By Chris Kolmar
May. 18, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

Find a Job You Really Want In

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If you’re on the hunt for a job in Montana, you’re in the right spot! The job market in Montana has evolved, and knowing where to look is essential to finding the right opportunity.

While many might assume that Helena, the state capital, is the prime location for job seekers, data reveals that it may not be the top contender in 2026.

At Zippia, we leverage data and analysis to answer your job-related questions. Our recent analysis identified the best places in Montana to secure employment.

After evaluating over 58 locations in Montana, we compiled a list of the top spots for job seekers in the Treasure State:

  1. Fairview
  2. Bozeman
  3. Sidney
  4. Glasgow
  5. Churchill
  6. Manhattan
  7. Glendive
  8. Belgrade
  9. Absarokee
  10. Plentywood

For those in Libby, it’s time to take notes as we dive into how we ranked these cities and what you can learn from the rest of the state.

How We Determined The Best Places For Jobs In The Treasure State

To create our rankings, we analyzed comprehensive data on all locations in Montana, applying a minimum population threshold of 5,000 residents for accurate comparisons.

This left us with a total of 58 places to evaluate.

Each location was scored across several criteria, with rankings from one to 58 (one being the best). The overall score was determined by averaging the ranks across all criteria.

The criteria we assessed included:

  • Unemployment rate
  • Recent job growth
  • Projected job growth
  • Median household income

Sources for these criteria include the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Sperling’s Best Places.

If your town or city doesn’t make the top 10, scroll to the end for a detailed chart and a downloadable file of all data.

Now, let’s explore how these cities climbed the career ladder.

1. Fairview

Population: 913 Unemployment Rate: 2.60%
Recent Job Growth: 4.35%
Projected Job Growth: 46.10%

2. Bozeman

Population: 37,619 Unemployment Rate: 3.10%
Recent Job Growth: 4.57%
Projected Job Growth: 46.00%

3. Sidney

Population: 5,360 Unemployment Rate: 2.60%
Recent Job Growth: 4.35%
Projected Job Growth: 46.10%

4. Glasgow

Population: 3,268 Unemployment Rate: 3.30%
Recent Job Growth: 4.56%
Projected Job Growth: 45.80%

5. Churchill

Population: 1,032 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 4.57%
Projected Job Growth: 45.70%

6. Manhattan

Population: 1,394 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 4.57%
Projected Job Growth: 45.70%

7. Glendive

Population: 4,990 Unemployment Rate: 2.70%
Recent Job Growth: 3.15%
Projected Job Growth: 43.60%

8. Belgrade

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 7,439 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 4.57%
Projected Job Growth: 45.70%

9. Absarokee

Population: 1,093 Unemployment Rate: 3.50%
Recent Job Growth: 3.33%
Projected Job Growth: 43.20%

10. Plentywood

Population: 1,626 Unemployment Rate: 2.40%
Recent Job Growth: 2.41%
Projected Job Growth: 42.40%

Detailed List Of The Best Places In Montana For Jobs

City Rank Population Unemployment Rate Recent Job Growth Projected Job Growth
Fairview 1 913 2.60% 4.35% 46.10%
Bozeman 2 37,619 3.10% 4.57% 46.00%
Sidney 3 5,360 2.60% 4.35% 46.10%
Glasgow 4 3,268 3.30% 4.56% 45.80%
Churchill 5 1,032 3.40% 4.57% 45.70%
Manhattan 6 1,394 3.40% 4.57% 45.70%
Glendive 7 4,990 2.70% 3.15% 43.60%
Belgrade 8 7,439 3.40% 4.57% 45.70%
Absarokee 9 1,093 3.50% 3.33% 43.20%
Plentywood 10 1,626 2.40% 2.41% 42.40%
Columbus 11 1,982 3.50% 3.33% 43.20%
Roundup 12 1,825 3.80% 2.54% 41.30%
Missoula 13 66,982 4.00% 2.07% 40.10%
Frenchtown 14 1,566 4.20% 2.07% 39.90%
Poplar 15 1,091 5.40% 2.66% 39.90%
Clinton 16 950 4.20% 2.07% 39.90%
Lolo 17 3,374 4.20% 2.07% 39.90%
Hamilton 18 4,393 6.00% 2.89% 39.80%
Stevensville 19 2,280 6.00% 2.89% 39.80%
Bigfork 20 4,356 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Lockwood 21 6,606 3.20% 0.56% 37.90%
Scobey 22 1,079 3.40% 0.72% 38.00%
Lakeside 23 2,285 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Choteau 24 1,808 3.60% 0.95% 38.30%
Billings 25 104,374 3.20% 0.56% 37.90%
Somers 26 1,116 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Laurel 27 6,763 3.20% 0.56% 37.90%
Evergreen 28 6,696 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Malta 29 1,911 5.30% 1.80% 38.30%
Whitefish 30 6,402 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Kalispell 31 20,016 6.60% 2.65% 38.70%
Colstrip 32 2,395 5.40% 1.56% 37.70%
Baker 33 1,832 2.00% -0.34% 37.30%
Pray 34 945 5.30% 1.44% 37.60%
Forsyth 35 1,825 5.40% 1.56% 37.70%
Gardiner 36 934 5.30% 1.44% 37.60%
Lewistown 37 5,897 4.10% 0.68% 37.30%
Walkerville 38 1,005 4.60% 1.08% 37.60%
Livingston 39 7,071 5.30% 1.44% 37.60%
Helena 40 28,381 3.60% -0.13% 36.10%
Clancy 41 1,553 4.50% -0.14% 35.20%
Dillon 42 4,149 3.50% -0.83% 34.80%
Boulder 43 1,298 4.50% -0.14% 35.20%
Superior 44 1,108 7.70% 1.52% 35.30%
Whitehall 45 1,097 4.50% -0.14% 35.20%
Conrad 46 2,572 5.00% -0.08% 34.80%
Shelby 47 2,864 3.00% -2.76% 31.50%
Harlowton 48 917 3.60% -2.43% 31.50%
Pablo 49 1,989 6.40% 0.24% 34.10%
Polson 50 4,524 6.40% 0.24% 34.10%
Ronan 51 2,143 6.40% 0.24% 34.10%
Townsend 52 2,041 5.70% -0.36% 33.60%
Chinook 53 1,286 5.30% -2.14% 30.40%
Browning 54 1,172 9.80% 0.16% 30.50%
Hardin 55 3,510 11.10% 0.54% 30.00%
Havre 56 9,425 5.50% -2.68% 29.10%
Eureka 57 1,123 13.40% -2.53% 21.50%
Libby 58 2,667 13.40% -2.53% 21.50%
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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