Tag Archives: Economy

Around Idaho: Economic activity, October 2025

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of October 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

  • Home sales and prices increased year over year in the Inland Northwest, including in Kootenai County. Year to date single family sales in Kootenai County were 1,892 at the end of September (a 4% increase over 2024) while median prices climbed to $547,250 for a 3% year over year increase. Source: Journal of Business

Kootenai County

  • A new affordable housing development is opening in Post Falls. ’The Arc’ features 38 single family homes priced at $375,000, with resale limitations designed to ensure long-term affordability. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

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International trade drives Idaho’s wages and employment

Idaho’s economy depends heavily on international markets for the goods and services it produces. The impact of international trade is visible in the state’s growing network of foreign trade partners, rising export volumes and the associated gains in jobs and wages. Tracking these trends helps illustrate how global trade markets influence Idaho’s economy.

Idaho’s international trade partners

As of 2024, Idaho exports to 205 nations. However, the majority of Idaho’s goods and services are sold only to a select few nations, as shown in Figure 1. Canada has been the state’s largest importer at $13.4 billion in sales revenue since 2014, averaging $1.2 billion annually. Continue reading →

The rising cost of living in Idaho limits labor force availability

Idaho’s economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, yet the benefits of growth have not been evenly distributed. While Idaho’s poverty rate is the 15th lowest in the nation at 10.6% ¹ and unemployment remains low, many Idahoans continue to struggle with the rising cost of living.

Median home prices in Idaho have more than doubled since 2016, and rents have risen at one of the fastest rates in the nation.² Combined with higher costs for essentials such as food, child care and transportation, even full-time workers often find themselves increasingly burdened by the rising cost of living.

Poverty and rising costs of living have significant impacts on the labor force, from high mortgage rates constraining labor mobility to the rising cost of raising a family depressing the birthrate.

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Around Idaho: Economic activity, September 2025

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of September 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

  • Northern Idaho is currently in a drought at the highest ratings of severity, according to hydrologists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Several years of below-normal snowpack, low rainfall totals and above-normal temperatures have created “extreme to exceptional” drought in the region. Recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed more than 50% of measured stream flow sites in the region are below normal. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Kootenai County

  • Local governments in Kootenai County are completing their budgetary approval processes for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The Coeur d’Alene City Council approved a $151.9 million budget with an allowable 3% property tax increase, and Post Falls approved a $165 million budget with a 3% property tax increase. County commissioners approved a $144 million budget for Kootenai County, with a 2.5% tax increase. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • Major changes are coming to the retail development on US 95 at Neider Avenue in Coeur d’Alene. Construction is underway on a Raising Cane’s chicken restaurant, with confirmed plans for additional businesses in the shopping center, including a Mexican restaurant called Cultura CDA and national chains like Jersey Mike’s Subs, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Sleep Number. The shopping center currently houses At Home, Tractor Supply and Safeway. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

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Learn how Idaho’s cost of living and affordability impact the labor force

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Sept. 23, 2025
Media Contact: Seth.Harrington@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Seth Harrington will share how Idaho’s cost of living is impacting the labor force at a webinar, Tuesday, Sept. 30.

According to United for Alice, four in 10 Idaho households can’t afford the basics of housing, food, child care and health care – even though many earn above the poverty line.

“While Idaho’s poverty rate is the 15th lowest in the nation and unemployment remains low, many Idahoans continue to struggle with the rising cost of living,” Harrington said. “Poverty and the rising costs of living have had significant impacts on the labor force, from reduced labor mobility to growing the urban and rural divide.”

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Idaho’s share of youth wanes despite overall population growth

Idaho’s youth population — those 19 years and younger — grew by 2.7% between 2020-2024, according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This was relatively low compared with the 65 and older category growing by 17.4% and the state’s total population growing by 8.2% or 152,204 people.

Of the total population growth seen between 2020-2024, Idaho’s youth contributed the smallest share among all census age categories at 9.3%. However, what is typically considered as “working age” — a combination of two census age categories covering those 20-64 years of age — contributed 56.3%, helping backfill retirements and exits to other occupations or industries (Figure 1). Continue reading →

Idaho’s small arms market anticipates more growth

In the 20 years following the end of the federal assault weapons ban in 2004, the employment growth rate of Idaho’s small arms manufacturing industry nearly tripled — greatly outpacing the nation’s rate of 60%. While the small arms market is currently experiencing a slowdown both nationally and in Idaho, new developments in 2025 regulations and legal cases might be the key to upcoming growth.

Idaho has become home to some of the most well-known small arms and small arms accessory companies in the world, including some that contract with the U.S.’s military and police departments, such as Nightforce Optics, Alien Gear Holsters, Seekins Precision and Federal/CCI ammunition. Idaho is also home to some more boutique and innovative manufacturers such as Nemo Arms, Primary Weapons Systems, Bishop Firearms and Foxtrot Mike. Businesses like these have brought Idaho’s number of small arms manufacturing businesses up from eight to 31 since 2004.

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Around Idaho: Economic activity, August 2025

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of August 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

Bonner County

  • The ongoing Sunset Fire northeast of Athol has burned more than 3,200 acres. Due to the fire, the U.S. Forest Service announced a closure order for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Source: KHQ News

Kootenai County

  • The North Idaho State Fair opened Aug. 15 for its annual 10-day run at the Kootenai County fairgrounds. The 2025 theme was “Keeping Tradition Alive,” and the fair featured hundreds of attractions and vendors. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • The Coeur d’Alene City Council has proposed a $152.6 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year which includes a 3% property tax increase, which will generate $835,702 in additional revenue. The city council held public hearings concerning the proposed budget in August. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • Home prices edged further upward in Kootenai County according to the latest market snapshot from Coeur d’Alene Regional Realtors. The median home price increased to $545,000, which was a 3.3% increase year over year. Active listings and single-family home sales in Kootenai County have both increased slightly year over year, while average days on market has declined slightly. Source: Journal of Business

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Labor economist to analyze Idaho’s marginal labor force at August webinar

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 12, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Lisa Grigg will discuss the subsections of Idaho’s population that are potentially overlooked and underutilized within the labor force at a webinar, Tuesday, Aug. 19.

“Labor force numbers show Idaho’s trends in both employment and unemployment, but there is a large portion of the population that it misses. If someone wants a job, but is not actively sending out resumes or contacting employers – they are not considered part of the labor force,” Grigg said. “This webinar is meant to try to help employers understand the main reasons job seekers may drop out of the labor force – even if they would prefer to be employed.”

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Idaho’s agricultural landowners are getting older

The population of those 65 and over continues to increase in the counties of Idaho that contain a large amount of agricultural land. As a result, older Idahoans who own this land are at a crossroads of whether to pass it to a successor or sell it when they can no longer tend to it themselves.

Idaho’s landownership

The seven largest private commercial landowning organizations or individuals in the state account for 6% of the total private land, with an estimated 1.8 million total acres in land usage for farming, ranching or logging [1]. The other 70.4% is public land. Continue reading →