U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports Montana Lost 5300 Jobs in Last Fiscal Year

Nine states and the District of Columbia lost jobs in the year ending in September, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hit hard by the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workforce, the District of Columbia suffered the largest percentage job loss, down 3.5% or 25,800 jobs. Montana, which lost jobs for the first time since 2020, shed 1% of its total workforce, or 5,300 jobs. Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia all experienced declines of less than 1%.

The state that gained the most jobs was South Carolina, up 2.3% or 55,200 jobs, followed by Louisiana (up 1.8% or 36,000), and Nevada (up or 1.6% or 25,300).

South Carolina’s job growth was concentrated in construction, health care, and leisure and hospitality, said William Floyd, the state’s employment and workforce executive director, in a statement.

In addition, car parts manufacturers in the state have been ramping up to supply a planned Scout Motors factory, which has already begun training workers. Hiring also has begun for a new BMW battery factory.