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Understand Idaho

Idaho unemployment rate

3.7%

Unemployment rate in Idaho, 2025 (estimate)

+0.1 pts since 2024 (3.6%); −1.8 pts since 2020 (5.5%); −0.2 pts since 2015 (3.9%)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Data period 2025. Status: estimate. Published .

Unemployed as a share of the civilian labor force. Annual figures are not seasonally adjusted; the recent-months series for Idaho and the US is seasonally adjusted.

Note on this value: Annual estimates for 2025 are 11-month averages that exclude October. Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.

Change and comparison

From 1976 (5.6%) to 2025 (3.7%), the change was −1.9 pts.

The series high is 10.0% in 1982 and the low is 2.9% in 2018.

Among 50 states and the District of Columbia, Idaho ranked 33rd highest in 2025. District of Columbia was highest at 6.3% and South Dakota lowest at 2.1%.

Among Idaho and its 6 neighboring states, Idaho ranks 4th highest; Washington is next above at 4.7% and Utah next below at 3.5%.

Idaho was 0.6 pts below the national figure of 4.3%.

Historical data

Idaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025Idaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025. 8 series. Idaho: 5.6% in 1976, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%198020002020IdahoUnitedStatesMontanaNevadaOregonUtahWashingtonWyomingPercentIdaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025Idaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025. 8 series. Idaho: 5.6% in 1976, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%198020002020IdahoUnited StatesMontanaNevadaOregonUtahWashingtonWyomingPercentIdaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025Idaho unemployment rate, 1976 to 2025. 8 series. Idaho: 5.6% in 1976, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%19801990200020102020IdahoUnited StatesMontanaNevadaOregonUtahWashingtonWyomingPercent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Published .

Data table (50 rows)
PeriodIdaho (percent)United States (percent)Montana (percent)Nevada (percent)Oregon (percent)Utah (percent)Washington (percent)Wyoming (percent)
19765.6%7.7%6.0%8.9%9.3%5.6%8.8%3.9%
19775.9%7.1%6.2%6.9%7.5%5.2%8.4%3.4%
19785.5%6.1%5.6%4.4%6.1%3.9%6.8%2.9%
19795.8%5.8%5.2%4.9%6.8%4.4%6.8%2.6%
19807.6%7.1%6.3%6.3%8.3%6.3%8.0%3.9%
19817.6%7.6%6.8%7.3%9.7%6.7%9.3%4.2%
198210.0%9.7%8.6%10.0%11.4%8.1%11.7%5.9%
19839.2%9.6%8.8%9.8%10.8%9.0%11.1%7.9%
19847.2%7.5%7.5%7.7%9.3%6.6%9.3%6.2%
19857.8%7.2%7.7%7.5%8.6%6.1%8.3%7.0%
19868.4%7.0%7.9%6.3%8.0%6.1%8.1%8.5%
19877.7%6.2%7.5%6.2%6.1%6.2%7.3%8.0%
19886.1%5.5%6.6%5.2%5.7%4.9%6.3%6.4%
19895.4%5.3%6.0%4.7%5.4%4.6%5.9%6.0%
19905.6%5.6%6.1%4.8%5.4%4.4%5.1%5.1%
19916.3%6.8%6.9%5.8%6.2%4.8%6.1%5.0%
19926.5%7.5%6.7%6.8%7.3%4.9%7.2%5.5%
19936.1%6.9%6.1%6.9%7.0%4.1%7.2%5.3%
19945.5%6.1%5.5%6.3%5.3%3.8%6.4%4.9%
19955.5%5.6%5.7%5.6%4.8%3.4%6.2%4.8%
19965.4%5.4%5.5%5.1%5.6%3.4%5.9%5.0%
19975.2%5.0%5.5%4.4%5.6%3.2%4.9%4.8%
19985.3%4.5%5.6%4.2%5.6%3.6%4.8%4.8%
19995.0%4.2%5.3%4.0%5.5%3.5%4.8%4.8%
20004.6%4.0%4.8%4.2%5.2%3.3%5.0%3.8%
20015.1%4.7%4.6%5.1%6.4%4.4%6.1%3.9%
20025.7%5.8%4.6%5.6%7.5%5.7%7.2%4.1%
20035.6%6.0%4.7%5.2%8.0%5.5%7.3%4.3%
20044.9%5.5%4.5%4.5%7.4%5.0%6.3%3.9%
20054.0%5.1%4.1%4.2%6.1%4.1%5.6%3.6%
20063.4%4.6%3.4%4.1%5.4%2.8%5.0%3.1%
20073.0%4.6%3.4%4.8%5.2%2.5%4.6%2.8%
20085.0%5.8%4.7%6.9%6.3%3.3%5.1%3.0%
20099.1%9.3%7.1%11.1%10.7%7.6%9.0%6.3%
20109.1%9.6%7.2%13.3%10.6%8.3%10.0%6.9%
20118.4%9.0%6.6%13.0%9.4%7.2%9.4%6.1%
20127.5%8.1%5.8%11.5%8.7%4.8%8.5%5.5%
20136.9%7.4%5.3%10.0%7.8%4.2%6.7%4.8%
20144.4%6.2%4.6%8.2%6.7%3.6%5.9%4.4%
20153.9%5.3%4.3%6.9%5.5%3.5%5.5%4.2%
20163.7%4.9%4.3%5.8%4.8%3.3%5.2%5.2%
20173.2%4.3%4.1%5.0%4.0%3.1%4.7%4.3%
20182.9%3.9%3.7%4.4%4.0%2.9%4.4%4.0%
20192.9%3.7%3.5%4.1%3.7%2.5%4.2%3.7%
20205.5%8.1%5.8%13.7%7.6%4.9%8.7%5.9%
20213.6%5.4%3.4%6.8%5.2%2.8%5.2%4.6%
20222.9%3.6%2.7%5.2%4.0%2.4%4.1%3.5%
20233.2%3.6%2.7%5.1%3.8%2.7%4.2%2.9%
20243.6%4.0%3.0%5.4%4.3%3.3%4.5%3.1%
20253.7%4.3%3.3%5.3%5.2%3.5%4.7%3.4%

People employed

970,727 in 2025 (estimate). Number of people employed, by place of residence. Annual, not seasonally adjusted.

People employed, 1976 to 2025People employed, 1976 to 2025. 2 series. Employment: 351,593 in 1976, 970,727 in 2025.0500k1M1.5M198020002020EmploymentLabor forcePeoplePeople employed, 1976 to 2025People employed, 1976 to 2025. 2 series. Employment: 351,593 in 1976, 970,727 in 2025.0500k1M1.5M198020002020EmploymentLabor forcePeoplePeople employed, 1976 to 2025People employed, 1976 to 2025. 2 series. Employment: 351,593 in 1976, 970,727 in 2025.0500k1M1.5M19801990200020102020EmploymentLabor forcePeople

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Published .

Data table (50 rows)
PeriodEmployment (people)Labor force (people)
1976351,593372,484
1977373,740397,049
1978391,937414,751
1979403,515428,395
1980397,324429,834
1981397,582430,246
1982399,341443,477
1983410,572452,143
1984426,931460,075
1985427,621463,940
1986429,582469,225
1987432,790468,912
1988446,094475,290
1989460,388486,853
1990466,253493,677
1991477,317509,579
1992494,892529,564
1993517,792551,390
1994554,104586,429
1995569,129602,117
1996582,796616,168
1997598,183631,142
1998614,945649,022
1999621,343654,070
2000631,168661,901
2001644,046678,395
2002647,201686,073
2003653,478692,055
2004669,000703,522
2005699,603728,606
2006718,996744,286
2007732,588755,075
2008723,530761,344
2009698,658768,290
2010695,535765,440
2011702,881767,689
2012716,985775,321
2013727,754781,888
2014746,660781,191
2015768,026799,353
2016788,521818,803
2017813,579840,303
2018838,047862,716
2019863,551889,241
2020852,450902,300
2021891,086923,953
2022923,419950,764
2023941,813972,816
2024960,892996,542
2025970,7271,007,694

Recent months

3.6% in July 2026 (preliminary), seasonally adjusted. The annual figures above are calendar-year averages and are not seasonally adjusted, so the two are not the same series.

Idaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026Idaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026. 2 series. Idaho: 3.7% in August 2016, 3.6% in July 2026.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%201520202025IdahoUnitedStatesPercentIdaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026Idaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026. 2 series. Idaho: 3.7% in August 2016, 3.6% in July 2026.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%201520202025IdahoUnited StatesPercentIdaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026Idaho unemployment rate, monthly, August 2016 to July 2026. 2 series. Idaho: 3.7% in August 2016, 3.6% in July 2026.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%201620182020202220242026IdahoUnited StatesPercent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Published .

Data table (139 rows)
PeriodIdaho (percent)United States (percent)
January 2015n/a5.7%
February 2015n/a5.5%
March 2015n/a5.4%
April 2015n/a5.4%
May 2015n/a5.6%
June 2015n/a5.3%
July 2015n/a5.2%
August 2015n/a5.1%
September 2015n/a5.0%
October 2015n/a5.0%
November 2015n/a5.1%
December 2015n/a5.0%
January 2016n/a4.8%
February 2016n/a4.9%
March 2016n/a5.0%
April 2016n/a5.1%
May 2016n/a4.8%
June 2016n/a4.9%
July 2016n/a4.8%
August 20163.7%4.9%
September 20163.7%5.0%
October 20163.7%4.9%
November 20163.6%4.7%
December 20163.5%4.7%
January 20173.5%4.7%
February 20173.4%4.6%
March 20173.3%4.4%
April 20173.2%4.4%
May 20173.1%4.4%
June 20173.1%4.3%
July 20173.1%4.3%
August 20173.1%4.4%
September 20173.1%4.3%
October 20173.1%4.2%
November 20173.1%4.2%
December 20173.1%4.1%
January 20183.0%4.0%
February 20182.9%4.1%
March 20182.9%4.0%
April 20182.8%4.0%
May 20182.8%3.8%
June 20182.8%4.0%
July 20182.8%3.8%
August 20182.8%3.8%
September 20182.8%3.7%
October 20182.9%3.8%
November 20183.0%3.8%
December 20183.0%3.9%
January 20193.0%4.0%
February 20193.0%3.8%
March 20192.9%3.8%
April 20192.9%3.7%
May 20192.8%3.6%
June 20192.8%3.6%
July 20192.9%3.7%
August 20192.9%3.6%
September 20192.9%3.5%
October 20192.9%3.6%
November 20192.8%3.6%
December 20192.8%3.6%
January 20202.8%3.6%
February 20202.8%3.5%
March 20202.8%4.4%
April 202011.8%14.8%
May 20209.1%13.2%
June 20207.5%11.0%
July 20206.6%10.2%
August 20205.4%8.4%
September 20205.0%7.8%
October 20204.4%6.9%
November 20204.2%6.7%
December 20204.2%6.7%
January 20214.1%6.4%
February 20214.1%6.2%
March 20214.0%6.1%
April 20213.9%6.1%
May 20213.7%5.8%
June 20213.6%5.9%
July 20213.5%5.4%
August 20213.4%5.1%
September 20213.3%4.7%
October 20213.1%4.5%
November 20213.0%4.1%
December 20212.9%3.9%
January 20222.8%4.0%
February 20222.7%3.9%
March 20222.7%3.7%
April 20222.7%3.7%
May 20222.8%3.6%
June 20222.8%3.6%
July 20222.9%3.5%
August 20222.9%3.6%
September 20223.0%3.5%
October 20223.0%3.6%
November 20223.0%3.6%
December 20223.0%3.5%
January 20233.0%3.5%
February 20233.0%3.6%
March 20233.0%3.5%
April 20233.0%3.4%
May 20233.1%3.6%
June 20233.1%3.6%
July 20233.2%3.5%
August 20233.3%3.7%
September 20233.3%3.7%
October 20233.4%3.9%
November 20233.4%3.7%
December 20233.4%3.8%
January 20243.4%3.7%
February 20243.5%3.9%
March 20243.5%3.9%
April 20243.5%3.9%
May 20243.6%3.9%
June 20243.6%4.1%
July 20243.6%4.2%
August 20243.6%4.2%
September 20243.6%4.1%
October 20243.6%4.1%
November 20243.6%4.2%
December 20243.7%4.1%
January 20253.7%4.0%
February 20253.7%4.2%
March 20253.6%4.2%
April 20253.6%4.2%
May 20253.6%4.3%
June 20253.6%4.1%
July 20253.6%4.3%
August 20253.6%4.3%
September 20253.6%4.4%
November 20253.6%4.5%
December 20253.6%4.4%
January 20263.7%4.3%
February 20263.7%4.4%
March 20263.6%4.3%
April 20263.6%4.3%
May 20263.7%4.3%
June 20263.7%4.2%
July 20263.6%4.1%
August 2026n/a4.1%

By county

44 of 44 counties have a value for 2025. Idaho statewide on the same basis: 3.7%.

  1. Adams7.2%
  2. Clearwater6.4%
  3. Benewah5.6%
  4. Shoshone5.6%
  5. Bonner5.4%
  6. Boundary5.4%
  7. Idaho5.0%
  8. Custer4.8%
  9. Washington4.6%
  10. Kootenai4.5%
  11. Valley4.5%
  12. Lewis4.4%
  13. Elmore4.3%
  14. Payette4.3%
  15. Boise4.2%
  16. Lemhi4.2%
  17. Lincoln4.2%
  18. Clark4.1%
  19. Bannock4.0%
  20. Butte4.0%
  21. Owyhee4.0%
  22. Caribou3.9%
  23. Camas3.8%
  24. Canyon3.7%
  25. Gem3.7%
  26. Madison3.7%
  27. Nez Perce3.7%
  28. Fremont3.6%
  29. Bingham3.5%
  30. Gooding3.4%
  31. Minidoka3.4%
  32. Twin Falls3.4%
  33. Ada3.3%
  34. Jerome3.3%
  35. Latah3.3%
  36. Power3.3%
  37. Blaine3.2%
  38. Cassia3.2%
  39. Franklin3.2%
  40. Bonneville3.1%
  41. Bear Lake3.0%
  42. Jefferson2.9%
  43. Oneida2.9%
  44. Teton2.6%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Data period 2025. Published .

Ada County: 3.3% Percent (2025)Adams County: 7.2% Percent (2025)Bannock County: 4.0% Percent (2025)Bear Lake County: 3.0% Percent (2025)Benewah County: 5.6% Percent (2025)Bingham County: 3.5% Percent (2025)Blaine County: 3.2% Percent (2025)Boise County: 4.2% Percent (2025)Bonner County: 5.4% Percent (2025)Bonneville County: 3.1% Percent (2025)Boundary County: 5.4% Percent (2025)Butte County: 4.0% Percent (2025)Camas County: 3.8% Percent (2025)Canyon County: 3.7% Percent (2025)Caribou County: 3.9% Percent (2025)Cassia County: 3.2% Percent (2025)Clark County: 4.1% Percent (2025)Clearwater County: 6.4% Percent (2025)Custer County: 4.8% Percent (2025)Elmore County: 4.3% Percent (2025)Franklin County: 3.2% Percent (2025)Fremont County: 3.6% Percent (2025)Gem County: 3.7% Percent (2025)Gooding County: 3.4% Percent (2025)Idaho County: 5.0% Percent (2025)Jefferson County: 2.9% Percent (2025)Jerome County: 3.3% Percent (2025)Kootenai County: 4.5% Percent (2025)Latah County: 3.3% Percent (2025)Lemhi County: 4.2% Percent (2025)Lewis County: 4.4% Percent (2025)Lincoln County: 4.2% Percent (2025)Madison County: 3.7% Percent (2025)Minidoka County: 3.4% Percent (2025)Nez Perce County: 3.7% Percent (2025)Oneida County: 2.9% Percent (2025)Owyhee County: 4.0% Percent (2025)Payette County: 4.3% Percent (2025)Power County: 3.3% Percent (2025)Shoshone County: 5.6% Percent (2025)Teton County: 2.6% Percent (2025)Twin Falls County: 3.4% Percent (2025)Valley County: 4.5% Percent (2025)Washington County: 4.6% Percent (2025)
  • 2.6% to 3.2%
  • 3.3% to 3.6%
  • 3.7% to 4.0%
  • 4.1% to 4.4%
  • 4.5% to 7.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Data period 2025. Published .

Data table (44 rows)
County2025
Adams County7.2%
Clearwater County6.4%
Benewah County5.6%
Shoshone County5.6%
Bonner County5.4%
Boundary County5.4%
Idaho County5.0%
Custer County4.8%
Washington County4.6%
Kootenai County4.5%
Valley County4.5%
Lewis County4.4%
Elmore County4.3%
Payette County4.3%
Boise County4.2%
Lemhi County4.2%
Lincoln County4.2%
Clark County4.1%
Bannock County4.0%
Butte County4.0%
Owyhee County4.0%
Caribou County3.9%
Camas County3.8%
Canyon County3.7%
Gem County3.7%
Madison County3.7%
Nez Perce County3.7%
Fremont County3.6%
Bingham County3.5%
Gooding County3.4%
Minidoka County3.4%
Twin Falls County3.4%
Ada County3.3%
Jerome County3.3%
Latah County3.3%
Power County3.3%
Blaine County3.2%
Cassia County3.2%
Franklin County3.2%
Bonneville County3.1%
Bear Lake County3.0%
Jefferson County2.9%
Oneida County2.9%
Teton County2.6%
  • Annual estimates for 2025 are 11-month averages that exclude October. Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.

Compared with other states

  1. District of Columbia6.3%
  2. California5.5%
  3. Nevada5.3%
  4. Oregon5.2%
  5. Washington4.7%
  6. United States4.3%
  7. Idaho3.7%
  8. Utah3.5%
  9. Wyoming3.4%
  10. Montana3.3%
  11. North Dakota2.6%
  12. Hawaii2.4%
  13. South Dakota2.1%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Data period 2025. Published .

The first 10 of 52 rows; the full table is below.

State2025
1. District of Columbia6.3%
2. California5.5%
3. Nevada5.3%
4. Michigan5.2%
5. New Jersey5.2%
6. Oregon5.2%
7. Delaware4.8%
8. Alaska4.7%
9. Ohio4.7%
10. Washington4.7%
Data table (52 rows)
State2025
1. District of Columbia6.3%
2. California5.5%
3. Nevada5.3%
4. Michigan5.2%
5. New Jersey5.2%
6. Oregon5.2%
7. Delaware4.8%
8. Alaska4.7%
9. Ohio4.7%
10. Washington4.7%
11. Illinois4.6%
12. Kentucky4.6%
13. Massachusetts4.5%
14. Rhode Island4.5%
15. South Carolina4.5%
16. Arizona4.3%
17. Louisiana4.3%
18. New York4.3%
19. Pennsylvania4.3%
20. United States4.3%
21. New Mexico4.2%
22. Texas4.2%
23. West Virginia4.2%
24. Arkansas4.1%
25. Colorado4.0%
26. Connecticut4.0%
27. Maryland4.0%
28. Missouri4.0%
29. Florida3.9%
30. Minnesota3.9%
31. Kansas3.8%
32. Mississippi3.8%
33. North Carolina3.8%
34. Idaho3.7%
35. Indiana3.7%
36. Iowa3.5%
37. Tennessee3.5%
38. Utah3.5%
39. Georgia3.4%
40. Maine3.4%
41. Oklahoma3.4%
42. Virginia3.4%
43. Wyoming3.4%
44. Montana3.3%
45. New Hampshire3.2%
46. Wisconsin3.2%
47. Nebraska3.0%
48. Alabama2.8%
49. Vermont2.7%
50. North Dakota2.6%
51. Hawaii2.4%
52. South Dakota2.1%
  • Annual estimate for 2025 is an 11-month average that excludes October; data for October 2025 were not collected due to the 2025 federal government shutdown's lapse in appropriations (BLS footnote code G).
  • Idaho: Annual estimates for 2025 are 11-month averages that exclude October. Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.

Source

Organization
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Dataset
Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Geography
Nation, states, and Idaho's 44 counties
Time coverage
1976-2025 (states, US), 1990-2025 (Idaho counties), plus recent months
Update frequency
Monthly
Published
Original file
https://api.bls.gov/publicAPI/v2/timeseries/data/
Methodology
https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/lau/home.htm
License
Public domain. U.S. federal government work.
Our copy
Local Area Unemployment Statistics, built by scripts/fetch-bls-laus.py

Caveats

  • Idaho's annual figures are BLS's own published annual-average row; every other geography's is the mean of that year's not-seasonally-adjusted monthly rates, BLS's own method.
  • 2025 is an 11-month average excluding October for every geography: the household survey was not conducted that month during the federal shutdown (BLS footnote code G).
  • LAUS annual estimates are revised the following spring against updated survey and QCEW inputs.
  • Idaho Department of Labor republishes these same BLS figures for Idaho; it is not an independent source.

Cite

Cite this page as Understand Idaho, “Idaho unemployment rate”, https://understandidaho.com/economy/unemployment/, retrieved on the date you read it, and the publisher named above for the figures themselves. The dataset behind it is described in the data catalog.

This page was last updated .