Idaho’s September unemployment rate upticks slightly to 2.8%
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up from 2.7% in August to 2.8% in September – the eighth consecutive month the state rate has been below 3%.
September’s labor force saw gains in both employed and unemployed workers. The number of Idahoans employed or looking for work grew by 2,938 people (0.3%) to 959,734. Total employment grew by 1,714 (0.2%) to 932,813. The total number of unemployed increased by 1,224 (4.8%) to 26,921. Labor force participation remained at 62.7%.
Idaho’s nonfarm jobs exceeded seasonal expectations in September, showing an adjusted increase of 3,000 jobs to 828,400. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month gains include information (4.9%); arts, entertainment and recreation (4.5%); private educational services (2.8%); other services (2%); nondurable goods manufacturing (1.9%); real estate and rental and leasing (1.0%); construction (0.8%); local government (0.8%); healthcare and social services (0.7%); transportation, warehousing and utilities (0.6%); and durable goods manufacturing (0.5%).
Industries with the greatest job declines in September were state government (-2.1%), professional and business services (-1.3%), financial activities (-0.3%), and accommodation and food services (-0.1%).
All of Idaho’s six Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) saw over-the-month nonfarm job increases in September. Pocatello experienced the largest job growth increase, up 1.3%, followed by Idaho Falls (0.8%), Twin Falls (0.4%), Lewiston (0.3%), Boise (0.3%), and Coeur d’Alene (0.1%).
Year over Year
Idaho’s unemployment rate was down 0.6 percentage points from September 2021. The labor force was up 4.2%, an increase of 38,765 people.
The number of unemployed Idahoans dropped 13.1% (-4,048), while the number of employed rose 4.8% (42,813).
Idaho’s total nonfarm jobs increased by 3.3% (26,600). Every major industry sector showed over-the-year job increases except for other services (-3.0%) and financial activities (-1.8%).
All of Idaho’s MSAs saw year-over-year nonfarm job gains. Twin Falls saw the greatest increase at 4.5%, followed by Idaho Falls (3%), Boise (2.8%), Lewiston (2.5%), Coeur d’Alene (2.3%) and Pocatello (2.1%).
National Comparisons
Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.5% in September from the August rate of 3.7%, and the number of unemployed decreased by 331,487 to 5.7 million. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 263,000 (0.2%) to 153 million, which is above pre-pandemic levels.
