Idaho’s January unemployment rate remains at 3.8%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: March 17, 2025
Media Contact: will.winkle@labor.idaho.gov or craig.shaul@labor.idaho.gov

- State first in nation for over-the-year nonfarm job growth at 2.8% -

Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged between December and January, remaining at 3.8%.

December 2024's unemployment rate also remained the same at 3.8% after the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) annual benchmarking process. (More information about the benchmarking process can be found below.)

January's labor force increased by 2,168 people (0.2%) to 1,011,937 while the labor force participation rate - the percentage of people 16 years of age or older who are either employed or looking for work - was unchanged between December and January, remaining at 63.9%.

Total employment increased by 2,172 (0.2%) to 973,605 as unemployment remained effectively unchanged at 38,332.

Idaho's nonfarm jobs increased by 1,700 (0.2%) to 878,600 in January. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month gains included construction (4%); professional, scientific, and technical services (1.3%); health care and social services (1.2%); information (1.1%); management of companies and enterprises (1.1%); state government (0.9%); federal government (0.7%) and arts, entertainment, and recreation (0.6%).

Industries that experienced job declines in January included accommodation and food services (-2.8%); private educational services (-2.3%); natural resources (-2.2%); administrative, support, and waste management services (-2.1%); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-0.9%); wholesale trade (-0.6%) and local government (-0.2%).

Five of Idaho's six Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) had over-the-month nonfarm job increases in January. Lewiston saw the largest increase of 0.7%, followed by Idaho Falls (0.4%), Coeur d'Alene (0.3%), Boise (0.2%) and Pocatello (0.2%). Twin Falls saw a decrease of 0.2%.

Year over Year

Idaho's 3.8% unemployment rate for January 2025 was up from 3.4% the prior year. The labor force was up 2.2%, an increase of 21,396 people.

The number of unemployed Idahoans increased 12.2% (4,181) while total employed was 1.8% (17,215) higher over the same period.

Total nonfarm jobs increased by 2.8% (23,700), which was the highest percentage increase among all states. Most major industry sectors gained jobs except administrative, support, and waste management services (-6.9%); information (-1.1%) and local government (-0.4%).

All of Idaho's MSAs saw year-over-year nonfarm job gains in January. Coeur d'Alene had the greatest increase at 3.9%, followed by Boise (3.8%), Twin Falls (2.8%), Idaho Falls (2.7%), Lewiston (0.7%) and Pocatello (0.5%).

National Comparisons

Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 between December and January, down to 4%. The number of unemployed decreased by 37,000 (-0.5%) to 6.8 million. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 151,000 (0.1%) to 159.1 million.

* Editors / News Directors - please note:

The employment situation releases for January, February and March have nonstandard release dates due to the Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarking process. County estimates and benchmarked data will not be available until the release of March 2025 data. Benchmarking includes revisions to state labor force estimates based on new inputs and population data. Nonfarm jobs are benchmarked using reported employer data.

Upcoming Idaho Release Schedule:

March 28, 2025 - Statewide labor force and nonfarm jobs data for February 2025
April 18, 2025 - Statewide labor force and nonfarm jobs data for March 2025

More Idaho labor market information can be found at lmi.idaho.gov

This project is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of an Employment and Training Administration award totaling $695,785.