Idaho labor force participation tops national rate, state Labor Department says
A department analysis ties the gap to growth in Idaho's working-age population. October jobless figures are due Nov. 20.
TWIN FALLS - A larger share of Idahoans hold or seek jobs than Americans overall, the Idaho Department of Labor said in an analysis published Nov. 13. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the department put Idaho's 2025 labor force participation rate at 63.3%, compared with 62.4% nationally.
The analysis put Idaho's 2025 employment-population ratio, the share of adults with a job, at about 61%, compared with 59.8% for the U.S. Idaho's 2025 unemployment rate was 3.6%, against 4.3% nationally.
The department tied the gap to population growth. Idaho's population ages 16 to 64 grew 23.2% from 2014 to 2024, compared with 1.6% nationally, according to Census Bureau figures cited in the analysis. The department projects Idaho's labor force will grow more than 13% from 2024 to 2034, compared with a little over 3% for the nation.
The analysis covers the whole state and does not give figures for the Magic Valley. The department's calendar shows Idaho's October unemployment rate is scheduled for release Nov. 20.
Source: Idaho Department of Labor, "Idaho's key labor market indicators continue to outperform the nation"; Idaho Department of Labor, labor market information