Montana State Profile

Tax revenues fall below expectations, but Governor looks to reserves to bridge gap; unemployment remains among lowest in nation; business tax climate rates among best in US; Montana has smallest percentage of upside-down loans in US.

• State job growth fell 0.9% in August 2009 from a year ago; national job growth fell 4.4%.
• State unemployment averaged 6.6% in August 2009; the national average was 9.7%
• Personal income fell 1.7% to $33 billion in Q2 2009 from a year ago.
• Tax revenue fell 17.7% in Q2 2009 from the previous year.
• Exports fell 28.6% to $610 million in the first seven months of 2009 from a year ago.