Idaho’s April unemployment drops to 3.4 percent

The combination of fewer people looking for work and a drop in the number of unemployed Idahoans, Idaho’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent in April. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, the number of people working or looking for work dropped by 2,500 while the number of unemployed dropped by 1,500. Combined with a slight decrease of 950 in total employment, the state’s unemployment rate was pushed down by one-tenth of one percent. The number of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work decreased to 63.7 percent, the lowest participation rate since February 2015. Idaho’s labor force participation rate has averaged 70 percent for men and 58 percent for women over the past 12 months. The Pocatello market area unemployment rate increased by 1.1 percent from March to April. Madison County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 1.7 percent. Other county rates included; Bonneville, 2.4 percent; Bingham, 2.9 percent; and Jefferson, 2.3 percent. You can find additional information here.