COMMUNITY & RELOCATION INFORMATION

Employment

Missoula County continues to grow, and in 2008 had an estimated 108,623 residents. Missoula, the county seat, is the state’s second largest city, with a population estimated at 68,202 as of July 1, 2008. According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages, the average median household income in Missoula County from 2006-2008 was $42,912, slightly lower than the average median household income in Montana, which was $44,042. During the same period, the national average median household income was $52,175. In the first part of 2010, unemployment rates in Missoula rose, but remained lower than the national average. The unemployment rate in Missoula has remained relatively stable in the past 10 years, but increased in 2009 and 2010 to between 5% and 8%, depending on the time of year.

Missoula’s business community is comprised of both small businesses and large companies. Missoula County’s largest employers are Community Medical Center, St. Patrick Hospital, DirecTV, and Wal-Mart. Each of these employers is one of the top 20 employers in Montana. Some of the largest employers in Montana that employ people in Missoula are Albertsons, Costco, First Interstate Bank, Glacier Bankcorp Inc., Northwestern Energy, UPS, and Wells Fargo. The dominant industries in Missoula are retail, government, and healthcare. Missoula is known throughout Montana as “college town,” being home to the University of Montana and serving as a major cultural center for the state. Although we have many large employers, Missoula is a small business community. We have many notable small businesses, including companies like Adventure Life, who have gained local and national recognition for their work atmosphere.

Content provided by the Missoula Job Service