NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: May 16, 2025
Media Contact: John.Panter@labor.idaho.gov or Will.Hoenike@labor.idaho.gov
Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged between March and April, remaining at 3.7%.
April’s labor force increased by 494 people to 1,012,142 while the labor force participation rate – the percentage of people 16 years of age or older who are either employed or looking for work – decreased by 0.1 percentage point between March and April, down to 63.6%.
Total employment increased by 815 (0.1%) to 974,842 as unemployment decreased by 321 (-0.9%) to 37,300.
Idaho’s nonfarm jobs had a net increase of 3,700 jobs (0.4%) for a total of 879,900 in April. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month gains included professional, scientific and technical services (2%); health care and social services (1.8%); transportation, warehousing and utilities (1.2%); management of companies and enterprises (1.1%); other services (1%); administrative, support and waste management services (0.9%); durable goods manufacturing (0.9%); federal government (0.7%) and private educational services (0.6%).
Industries that experienced job losses in April included information (-1.1%); wholesale trade (-0.9%); real estate, rental and leasing (-0.8%); construction (-0.6%); arts, entertainment and recreation (-0.6%) and retail trade (-0.5%).
Five of Idaho’s six Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) had over-the-month nonfarm job increases in April. Coeur d’Alene saw the largest increase of 0.5%, followed by Idaho Falls (0.2%), Pocatello (0.2%), Twin Falls (0.2%) and Boise (0.1%). Lewiston experienced no change.
Year over Year
Idaho’s 3.7% unemployment rate for April 2025 was up from 3.6% the prior year. The labor force was up 1.5%, an increase of 14,969 people.
The number of unemployed Idahoans increased 5.1% (1,813) while total employed was 1.4% higher (13,156) over the same period.
Total nonfarm jobs increased by 2.3% (20,100). Most major industry sectors gained jobs except administrative, support, and waste management services (-5.6%); wholesale trade (-3.1%); information (-2.2%); federal government (-0.7%) and state government (-0.3%).
All but one of Idaho’s MSAs saw year-over-year nonfarm job gains in April. Coeur d’Alene had the greatest increase at 3.8%, followed by Twin Falls (3.4%), Boise (2.7%), Idaho Falls (2.4%) and Pocatello (2%). Lewiston experienced the only decrease of 0.7%.
National Comparisons
Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged between March and April, remaining at 4.2%. The number of unemployed increased by 82,000 (1.2%) to 7.2 million. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 177,000 (0.1%) to 159.5 million.
Upcoming Idaho Release Schedule:
June 20, 2025 – Statewide labor force and nonfarm jobs data for May 2025
July 18, 2025 – Statewide labor force and nonfarm jobs data for June 2025
More Idaho labor market information can be found at lmi.idaho.gov
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