Idaho unemployment drops to 3.3%

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI)-The Idaho Department of Labor reports February's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3%. That is down slightly from its revised 3.5% rate in January.

Nonfarm payrolls were up by 1,200 after a big gain of 4,500 in January.

The seasonally adjusted labor force remained virtually unchanged as the total number of working Idahoans grew by 912.

The percentage of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work, the labor force participation rate, was 62.9%. That is down from 63.1% in January.

According to the Department, Idaho's labor force showed year-over-year gains of 9,752 people, up 1.1%, over February 2020. Total unemployment was 26.3% higher than year-ago levels due to pandemic-related job losses in early 2020.

In the past month, all five Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Areas saw nonfarm job gains. Year over year, Idaho Falls saw the greatest job gains at 3.8% and Pocatello reported a 3.2% growth rate.