Tag Archives: Labor economist

Discover how Idaho’s labor market relies on international export partnerships

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 3, 2026
Media Contact: Ryan.Whitesides@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Labor Economist Ryan Whitesides will be presenting with a panel of state and federal government representatives, discussing Idaho’s labor market reliance on international export partnerships at a webinar, Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Representatives from Idaho Commerce, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and the U.S. International Trade Administration will be in attendance.

Idaho’s foreign trade portfolio comprises over 205 nations who consume the state’s exported goods and services. Of these total exports, over 80% are manufactured products. This webinar will explore what these particular goods and services are and the jobs they support.

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Around Idaho: Economic activity, January 2026

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

  • Amid the warmest winter on record, snowpack across northern Idaho is far below normal, creating what a hydrologist at the Idaho Department of Water Resources have called a “snow drought.” Precipitation levels have been normal, but high temperatures have led to more rain than snow, allowing high runoff. The low snowpack makes it likely that northern Idaho will continue to see drought conditions for the fourth consecutive year. Source: Bonner County Daily Bee
  • Heritage Health is breaking ground on Phase 2 of their Center for Healthy Living. When the new phase is completed, it will consolidate a variety of services in a single facility, including medical, dental, pediatric and behavioral health services. The Phase 2 facility will cost $4 million and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • An 85,000 square foot, $5 million indoor pickleball facility is under construction in Post Falls. Slated for opening in June, The Flying Pickle is the first northern Idaho franchise for the Meridian-based company. The facility will include 24 indoor courts. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

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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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Idaho grows its waste management workforce

Employment needs within Idaho’s waste management industry remain reliably consistent over time, reflecting the essential nature of the services it provides. Trash doesn’t take a day off and continues to be generated even during the coldest months of winter, the worst economic recessions and amid unpredictable 100-year pandemics. While trash volume will be dictated in part by consumer behavior, it is more closely associated with population growth.

Between 2014-2024, Idaho added 370,000 new residents and led the nation with a population growth rate of 23%. This was more than three times the U.S. growth rate of 7%.¹ During the same period, as shown in Figure 1, privatized waste management employment in Idaho added more than 2,000 jobs and increased by 98% (compared with 23% growth for the U.S. waste management sector). Like population, Idaho’s private waste management employment experienced the highest growth rate of any U.S. state.²

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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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