Tag Archives: Economy

Economic snapshot: Idaho’s growing fitness industry

The holiday season is in the rearview mirror and New Year’s resolutions are near to mind. An overwhelmingly popular resolve is to be more active, with gym memberships recently reaching a record-breaking 77 million in the U.S.1 In Idaho, the fitness industry has grown by 85% over the past decade — increasing from 175 to 324 establishments — and has been directly tied to the state’s notable population growth.2

About one in four Americans participate in the fitness and recreational sports center industry (commonly referred to as the “fitness industry”) which includes gyms, sports clubs, swimming complexes, yoga and Pilates studios, skating rinks and hot springs along with indoor soccer, tennis and pickleball courts.3 Continue reading →

Around Idaho: Economic activity, December 2025

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

  • Unfavorable weather has so far prevented area ski resorts from full and consistent operations. Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain, in Shoshone County, both had delayed openings and have since experienced intermittent closures due to inconsistent weather. Schweitzer, in Bonner County, currently has one lift operating. Idaho ranked No. 10 nationally for total annual skier visits. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital is expanding services with the opening of a new 17-bed rehabilitation unit at their Post Falls campus. This will raise the capacity at the Post Falls campus, which is shared with Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest, to a total of 47 intensive medical rehabilitation beds. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

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Idaho’s e-commerce industry continues to grow

One of the most visible trends in the American economy — especially during the holiday season — has been the long and steady rise of online retail sales, or e-commerce. Currently, in 2025, e-commerce accounts for more than 16% of all retail sales in the U.S., and trends suggest it will continue to gain ground in future years.

E-commerce has been growing as an industry since the turn of the century. In 2000, e-commerce retail sales made up less than 1% of total retail activity in the U.S. Since then, this share has continued to increase steadily, with a rapid acceleration occurring in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as can be seen below in Figure 1. Continue reading →

Around Idaho: Economic activity, November 2025

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

  • The regional housing market remains strong, according to the Coeur d’Alene Regional Realtors. Median prices on single family homes increased 4.1% year over year in October, while year to date home sales increased 3.6% in Kootenai County. Median prices and sales also increased in Shoshone County by 3.9% and 6.4% respectively. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

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Report sheds light on past 20 years of economic growth in rural Idaho

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 21, 2025
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

Rural Idaho plays a crucial role in the state’s economy and its future. Natural resources, manufacturing and renewable energy production continue to remain central to rural livelihoods, according to a report released this week from the Idaho Department of Labor.

The Profile of Rural Idaho provides an updated look at the state’s rural identity in 2025 and its evolution over the past 20 years since the previous profile was released in 2005. The report is divided into three parts analyzing demographic trends, the economic backbone of rural Idaho and the critical trends shaping the state’s future. Continue reading →

Webinar spotlights two decades of economic change in rural Idaho

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 12, 2025
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

The Idaho Department of Labor is hosting a webinar focusing on the past 20 years of growth in rural Idaho, Tuesday, Nov. 18.

“Idaho’s population has grown three times as fast as the U.S. This webinar will bring together rural voices and community leaders to speak in detail about their experiences as rural residents,” Labor Market Research Manager Craig Shaul said.

The event is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MT.

Continue reading →

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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