Flathead County’s unemployment rate improved a full percentage point in July as the effect of seasonal summer hiring finally kicked in.

The county’s unemployment rate in July was 10.4 percent compared to 11.4 percent in June.

“Generally we’ve been a little bit more pleased this summer over the last couple summers,” Flathead Job Service manager Bill Nelson said. “Right now we have about 320 jobs listed, quite a lot more than last year this time.”

He predicted the unemployment rate will continue to improve through the rest of the summer, but doesn’t know what the winter months will bring.

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry monthly jobs report listed a total labor force of 46,008 people in Flathead County, with 4,792 unemployed workers. That compares to a smaller work force of 45,271 a year ago this time, with 4,887 unemployed workers.

In Lincoln County the jobless rate improved slightly, posting at 14.6 percent in July. In June the rate was 15 percent.

Lake County had 10.9 percent unemployment in July, compared to 11 percent in June.

The highest unemployment rate in the state belongs to Sanders County, where the 14.8 percent rate is just slightly higher than Lincoln County.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate improved slightly, from 7.5 percent in June to 7.2 percent in July. Individual county numbers are not seasonally adjusted.