Idaho unemployment bumps up to 2.7%, labor force grows

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percent to 2.7% in August but remained below 3% for the seventh consecutive month, state officials said Friday.

The Idaho Department of Labor said that more than 930,000 Idaho workers have jobs while about 26,000 are seeking work.

The agency said the state’s labor force of 956,000 is up by 4%, or nearly 37,000 workers, compared to August 2021, as the state continues its rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and fast population growth continues.

The state’s labor force participation rate increased a tenth of a percent in August to 62.7%. The participation rate is the percentage of the state’s population 16 and older that is working or actively looking for work.

Industries with the greatest job gains in August included transportation, warehousing and utilities, while job declines occurred in natural resources, health care and social services.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Idaho’s unemployment rate ties it for 13th in the nation.