Idaho’s unemployment rises slightly

IDAHO (KMVT/KSVT) — After adjusting for seasonal and holiday changes, Idaho’s unemployment rate in December was 3.8%, slightly up from 3.7% in November. The number of people who are actively working increased by over 4,100 people to 1,000,658 and those who are 16 years of age or older have risen from 63.4% to 63.6%.

For the first time in Idaho’s history, the seasonally adjusted labor force has over one million people.

Employment increased by 3,503 to 962,943 as unemployment increased by 605 to 37,715.

Nonfarm jobs increased by 3,000 to 886,000. A accommodation and food services are at the top of that increase with 1.7%, while the information industry decreased by 1.1%. The metropolitan area that had the greatest increase was Twin Falls at 0.6%.

Over the last year, the unemployment rate increased to 3.8% from the previous year, being at 3.3%. The labor force was up 3.4% with 33,342 people. Unemployed Idahoans increased by 17.5% while the number of employed increased by 3%.

Nonfarm jobs increased by 3.6% which was the highest percentage increase among all states; most major industries gained jobs except the information industry. Boise had the greatest increase of non-farm jobs with 4.6%.