Category Archives: Labor Market

Rising cost of child care affects Idaho’s labor market

Child care is a question thousands of parents across Idaho must answer. Prices for child care have increased since 2020 and instability in the child care sector has resulted in thousands of Idahoans going part time or leaving the workforce to fill the gap.

While not the sole contributing factor, the cost of child care remains a major barrier for a significant portion of Idaho’s potential labor force.

Idaho is still experiencing historic labor market tightness despite recent softening. From January to December 2024, the unemployment rate in Idaho increased from 3.3% to 3.8% while the U.S. rate increased from 3.7% to 4.1%. Continue reading →

Learn about how the cost of child care affects Idaho’s labor force, April 8

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 3, 2025
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

Twelve percent of working parents reported using daycare as a means for child care support in Idaho, compared to 55% of parents having no support or 26% of parents having child care support from relatives.

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Brandon Duong will delve into this topic and provide context into how the cost of child care impacts the state’s labor force at a webinar, Tuesday, April 8.

Continue reading →

Construction industry has highest percentage growth in Idaho

Idaho’s construction industry is one of the top industries, besides health care and social assistance, with the highest percentage growth in Idaho. The industry has grown over 60% from 2004 to 2024, driven by accelerated population gains and economic development from the past few decades.

Employment

Construction employment declined by 44% (or 22,887 people) during 2007-2011 as a consequence from the Great Recession’s impact on the economy. As the economy continued to recover after the Great Recession, so did construction employment with consistent growth over the past decade. Construction employment passed its previous 2007 peak in 2020 and has continued to experience growth with the current average employment in 2024 consisting of 66,389 private construction workers in Idaho.

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Around Idaho: Economic activity, March 2025

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of March and includes professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Northern Idaho
North central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South central Idaho
Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho

NORTHERN IDAHO

Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties

Regional news

Kootenai County

  • Kootenai Health and MultiCare have announced plans to develop a new 30-acre medical campus, called Prairie Medical Campus, on the Highway 41 corridor in Post Falls. Phase 1 will include a micro-hospital with an emergency department and imaging, along with a multi-story facility for ambulatory surgery, laboratory services and clinic offices. Development will begin in 2025 with a 24-to-36-month completion timetable for the first phase. Source: MultiCare Newsroom
  • The first phase of construction at the Millworx development has been completed, with over 200 residential units, including townhouses and multifamily residences, completed. In addition, a four-story mixed-use building has been completed with residential space available on the ground floors and residential units now available on upper levels. A 151-room hotel is still under construction and is expected to be completed by year-end. Source: Journal of Business

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Idaho receives benchmark adjustments for 2024 unemployment rates

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently provided benchmarking adjustments to Idaho’s 2024 monthly unemployment rates, resulting in higher rates than were initially reported for most of the year. December’s unemployment rate was the only exception, remaining at 3.8%.

The BLS conducts benchmarking for all states annually to incorporate data that was initially unavailable during regular monthly publications, such as new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and employment data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Continue reading →

Labor economists to discuss changes in Idaho’s rural demographics at webinar March 25

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: March 19, 2025
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Research Analyst Supervisor Craig Shaul and Labor Economists Jan Roeser and Seth Harrington will discuss changes over the past 20 years in the state’s rural demographics at a webinar Tuesday, March 25. The webinar takes place from 11 a.m. to noon MT over Zoom.

“Idaho has experienced impressive growth in the last 20 years,” Shaul said. “This webinar will take a detailed look at how the demographics of rural Idaho have changed during this time.”

Continue reading →

Idaho’s most populated counties drive state’s growth

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2025
Media Contact: Jan.Roeser@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s 44 counties grew by 1.5%, or over 30,497 new residents, between July 2023 and July 2024, according to recent U.S. Census population estimates. Higher population counties experienced more growth than rural areas, in line with a nationwide trend of metro areas seeing a resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, Idaho’s growth was more evenly dispersed across less populated rural counties and more populated urban counties.

“The COVID-19 pandemic brought a rush of new residents to Idaho, particularly impacting rural areas of low population density that offered outdoor recreation,” said Labor Economist Jan Roeser. Continue reading →

Port of Lewiston celebrates 50 years of economic development and job creation

In the spring of 1975, the Port of Lewiston opened for commerce when the first barge headed west down the Columbia-Snake River system.

Despite being approved by Nez Perce County voters in 1958, it was not until Lower Granite Dam was completed in 1975 that the Port of Lewiston became fully operational and was established as Idaho’s only seaport.

While the Lewiston metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — incorporating Nez Perce County, Idaho and Asotin County, Washington — is the only MSA in Idaho not adjacent to an interstate highway, it is the sole MSA in Idaho located along the U.S. Marine Highway system.

Over the last 50 years, the Port of Lewiston has had a significant impact in making the employment of north central Idaho both economically resilient as well as very distinctive compared with Idaho’s other labor regions. Continue reading →

Port of Lewiston 50th anniversary to be highlighted in webinar, Feb. 18

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 11, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Lisa Grigg will talk at a webinar, Tuesday, Feb. 18 about employment created in north central Idaho by the Port of Lewiston.

Scott Corbitt, general manager of the Port of Lewiston, will be a guest speaker at the webinar to provide an inside perspective on its operations and future vision.

Topics will include historical key milestones for the port, multi-modal transportation options and how the port attracts businesses to create regional job opportunities.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s poverty rate 15th lowest in the country

Idaho’s poverty rate is at 10.6%, ranking 15th lowest among the 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released 2019-2023 data. The state has dropped five percentage points from the prior (2014-2018) level of 15.6% improving from its previous 28th rank.

Nationally, the population earning below the poverty level has also declined over the past five years. The nation’s poverty rate is 12.4%, dropping 3.2 percentage points from the previous level of 15.6%. Continue reading →