Regional news

Regional labor market information

Figure 1.

Eastern Idaho, seasonally adjusted data	Jul-26 (P)	Jun-26 (R)	Jul-25 (B)
Civilian labor force	131,483	132,194	134,450
Total employment	127,589	127,839	130,157
Unemployment	3,894	4,355	4,293
Percentage of labor force unemployed	3.0%	3.3%	3.2%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine	P – Preliminary	R – Revised	B – Benchmarked

• Labor force estimates for July 2026 from the Idaho Department of Labor’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics have both total over-the-month employment and unemployment decreasing in the nine-county eastern region. Seasonally adjusted, June preliminary estimates have labor force participants decreasing by 711 people, with 250 fewer employed people and 461 fewer unemployed people. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the region decreased to 3.0% over the month and 0.1% greater than July 2025.

Figure 2.

Eastern Idaho job postings	Jul-26	Jul-25
Unique postings	5,236	4,965
Days posted	24	29
Number of employers	2,113	2,173
Average hourly wage	$22.95	$21.48
Percentage of postings with advertised wage	40%	44%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• There were an estimated 5,236 job postings in the eastern Idaho labor market for July 2026 (regional online job postings data and not necessarily job openings data). The number of postings is a 1% increase from 5,177 the prior month and a 5% increase from July 2025.

Figure 3.

Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in eastern Idaho	Postings, Jul-26	Postings, Jul-25
Registered Nurses	248	253
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	209	115
Retail Salespersons	149	190
Customer Service Representatives	95	93
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	82	119
Laborers and Freight, Stock and Movers, Hand	76	85
Personal Care Aides	70	86
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	66	79
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	63	42
Project Management Specialists	60	41
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Project Management Specialists replaced Maintenance and Repair Workers, General in the top 10 regional occupations by unique job postings for July. Employer hiring demand (based on quantity of job postings) increased over the month in occupations such as Registered Nurses and Personal Care Aides. Employer hiring demand decreased for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing.

Figure 4.

Top 10 industries by unique job postings in eastern Idaho	Postings, Jul-26	Postings, Jul-25
Healthcare and Social Assistance	766	744
Retail Trade	451	565
Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services	440	547
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	363	355
Manufacturing	277	333
Construction	238	281
Educational Services	234	281
Wholesale Trade	193	250
Finance and Insurance	171	146
Accommodation and Food Services	166	231
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• There was no change in the top five regional industries in July by quantity of job postings. Hiring demand based on total unique job postings increased in Healthcare and Social Assistance; Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; and Finance and Insurance. There were decreases in Accommodation and Food Services, Manufacturing, Construction and Wholesale Trade industries. 

Figure 5.

Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in eastern Idaho	Median duration (days), Jul-26	Unique postings, Jul-26
Coaches and Scouts	49	43
Pharmacists	40	25
Laborers and Freight, Stock and Movers, Hand	33	76
Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses	32	31
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	31	63
Project Management Specialists	31	60
Medical and Clinic Laboratory Technologists	31	25
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	30	209
Driver/Sales Workers	30	59
Tellers	30	30
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Hardest-to-fill occupations in the eastern Idaho region for July (by highest median job posting duration and multiple unique job postings) included Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers followed by Laborers and Freight, Stock and Movers, Hand.   

• Hardest-to-fill job posting challenges in July by occupational family were Transportation and Material Moving; Sales and Related; and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical. All occupations added to the hardest-to-fill jobs list in June were new, except Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.

Regional news

• The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration announced $169 million in funding across six national Tech Hubs, with Idaho and Wyoming designated as the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor Tech Hub (iNEC). The iNEC is administered by the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium and supported by over 45 regional partners, including Idaho National Laboratory. The state will receive $31 million in federal grant funding. There is also $9 million in local matching and private investments, for a total of $40 million over five years. This investment aims to accelerate reactor deployment, speed commercialization of next-generation nuclear technologies and strengthen U.S. energy security and competitiveness. Source: Local News 8

• Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is collaborating with NASA to develop nuclear power systems that enable deep space missions. INL has already supplied radioisotope generators for Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance, as well as the New Horizons mission to Pluto. Currently, INL is working on four upcoming missions, including powering the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan (2028); supporting a Mars lander and rover for the Rosalind Franklin Mission (2028); launching a small fission reactor for nuclear electric propulsion to Mars (2028); and providing power for the PROMISE lunar rover (2029). INL and NASA are also planning to deploy a nuclear fission reactor on the moon by 2030 to support future lunar bases. Source: Local News 8

• For the third time this year, the U.S. Department of Energy made staffing cutbacks at the Idaho National Laboratory. The workforce reduction was with the Specific Manufacturing Capability, which manufactures tank armor for the U.S. Army. Battelle Energy Alliance LLC, the contracting operator, confirmed the layoff affected up to 50 employees. Source: East Idaho News

• The College of Eastern Idaho, in partnership with Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (BEA), is launching the BEA Applied STEM Institute this fall. Housed in the new Future Tech Building, the institute will offer hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math education and career pathways in various fields. The goal is to connect students with real-world experiences and prepare them for careers in Idaho. Source: Local News 8

• Intermountain Health Care Health Services Inc., a large nonprofit healthcare system based in Salt Lake City, is seeking acquisition of Idaho Falls Community Hospital and a stake in Mountain View Hospital, as well as affiliated clinics in Idaho Falls. The deal involves buying out  ownership and to keep current local management, jobs and compensation unchanged. The acquisition is pending regulatory approvals and board sign-offs. Source: Post Register

• Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative is partnering on a new natural gas power plant project in northern Idaho, developed through PNGC Power, to help deliver electricity for customers in eastern Idaho. The plant will use efficient, low-emission technology and may use hydrogen in the future. The project aims to meet rising energy demand and strengthen the regional electric grid, as hydropower resources are fully allocated and new dependable power sources are needed. Source: Local News 8

• The Idaho Travel Council awarded over $11.1 million in tourism marketing grants, the largest in program history. Funded by a 2% lodging tax, these grants help local and regional groups promote Idaho as a travel destination through advertising, events, research and more. Major recipients include Yellowstone Teton Territory (awarded $2 million), Lemhi County Economic Development Association (awarded $50,000), Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce (awarded $180,000) and Challis Chamber of Commerce (awarded $35,000). Source: Idaho Commerce

• Two major wildfires have recently impacted eastern Idaho. The Double Springs Fire burned roughly 2,000 acres in the mountains north of Howe, ID and prompted evacuations. The Big Rock Fire near Heise, ID and Kelly Canyon, ID resorts also prompted evacuations and burned over 2,000 acres. Also, related mudslides near Heise intermittently closed U.S. Highway 26. Together, the two incidents have strained firefighting resources, temporarily closed businesses and highlighted concerns about late‑summer fuels and burn scar erosion. Sources: East Idaho News and KPVI

• For July, Yellowstone National Park recorded a 2% decrease in recreation visits from July 2025. Visitation saw an 11% decrease from July 2021, the record year. Year-to-date recreation visits have decreased about 1% from 2025 and 2021. Source: Buckrail

• The residential real estate picture in eastern Idaho has home prices moving in different directions, depending on the county. Some areas, like Teton, Fremont, Jefferson and Madison, saw prices increase compared to last year, with Teton increasing the most. Other counties, like Bonneville, Butte and Lemhi, saw home prices decrease over the year. The speed at which homes are selling also varies. In Clark County, homes are selling faster than last year, while areas like Madison and Fremont are taking longer, which usually means buyers have more options and time to make decisions. Some counties, including Custer, Jefferson and Lemhi, had fewer homes listed for sale, which makes the market more competitive and keeps prices steady. Others, like Madison and Fremont, had more supply of listings, which can slow down home sales. Pending homes for sale, an indicator of current buyer interest, increased in many counties —  especially Teton and Bonneville. Home buying is still very active despite price changes. Source: Realtor.com

Bonneville County

• A new modular processing plant at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Research Center in Idaho Falls will process about one ton of ore per day to separate and study antimony, a critical mineral vital for national security and military applications. This pilot-scale facility, a collaboration among INL, Perpetua Resources and the U.S. Department of War, aims to strengthen the U.S. domestic supply chain for critical minerals and reduce reliance on foreign sources. The plant will use ore from the Stibnite Gold Project and provide valuable data for future domestic antimony production. Source: Post Register

• This fall, Idaho Falls High School is launching a Career Technical Education electric vehicle (EV) program for students interested in careers in EV or related technology. It is the first high school in the state to launch an EV program. Source: Post Register

• The first Idaho Outdoor Expo took place at The Waterfront in Idaho Falls. Over 50 fishing, hunting and camping vendors drew customers and patrons. Source: Local News 8

Butte County

• The county received $647,000 this year from the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which compensates counties for untaxable public land within their borders. (Butte County has 894,600 acres of public lands.) The funds can be used for any purpose, with local officials deciding how to allocate them. Source: The Challis Messenger

Custer County

• State Highway 21, west of Stanley between Grandjean Campground and Banner Summit, was temporarily closed to clear a major mudslide. Sawtooth National Forest also temporarily closed the Grandjean Campground and surrounding trails as a result. Source: Local News 8

• The county received $1 million this year from the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which compensates counties for untaxable public land within their borders. (Lemhi County has 2.6 million acres of public land.) The funds can be used for any purpose, with local officials deciding how to allocate them. Source: The Challis Messenger

Fremont County

• Fremont County’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to rezone a 950-acre solar farm as agricultural land, allowing the project to proceed until final review. Source: Local News 8

• The Caribou-Targhee National Forest started renovation work at the Upper Mesa Falls Recreation area, closing the entire area through winter for road repairs. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal

Jefferson County

• Construction began on the new 7,500 square-foot Menan Annis Grant Library. Funding was provided via various fund raising efforts in the community over the past 10 years. Source: The Jefferson Star

Lemhi County

• Two Rivers K-8 public school opened in Salmon — a $28 million project completed after 20 years and 13 failed bond attempts. In 2024, voters finally approved a $20 million bond, with the remaining funds raised through community efforts and $8 million in state support. The new school can serve up to 425 students with 30 classrooms. Source: Local News 8

• American Tungsten reports positive results from drilling at Ima Mine near Patterson, ID. It has been confirmed to have a significant secondary vein system that indicates expansion potential beyond the initial target area. The findings include quartz-molybdenite mineralization, tungsten-bearing quartz veins and quartz-pyrite-molybdenite sheeted veins. Exploratory drilling will continue as the company evaluates the potential for restarting underground tungsten mining. Source: The Challis Messenger

• The county received $1.5 million this year from the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which compensates counties for untaxable public land within their borders. The funds can be used for any purpose, with local officials deciding how to allocate them. Source: The Challis Messenger

• Idaho Strategic Resources Inc. has discovered high concentrations of yttrium, a critical rare earth element used in semiconductors, aerospace and defense, at its Diamond Creek project near Salmon. The company’s early exploration results have already drawn interest from technology and aerospace firms aiming for a reliable domestic source. Idaho Strategic Resources Inc. is working with Idaho National Laboratory to refine extraction and processing. Source: Spokane Journal of Business

Teton County

• The 175 Front Street Affordable Housing Development in Driggs began construction. The project will bring 23 income-restricted apartments, including units reserved for county employees, aiming to support local workforce housing needs. Apartments will serve households earning 40–80% of the area median income. The $10 million project is funded by a mix of grants, tax credits and loans from various organizations. Construction is expected to finish by fall 2027. Source: Teton Valley News

• The Grand Teton Club, a gated golf community for members, is under construction in Tetonia. Spanning 1,700 acres with 325 homesites, the golf club will also feature Grand Teton Institute on site. This diagnostic and research clinic will offer technology such as multi-generational family compounds and a biorepository. Source: Teton Valley News

• Teton County commissioners voted to re-designate 14 acres of the Corner Fox LLC property on Highway 33 in Driggs for future industrial use. This decision updates the county’s comprehensive plan map, but does not rezone the property or grant immediate development rights. Future development would require a separate rezone application and review process. Source: The Valley Signal

• The county received $34,700 this year from the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which compensates counties for untaxable public land within their borders. Teton County contains a relatively small amount of qualifying federal land (over 98,000 acres, mostly national forest). The funds can be used for any purpose, with local officials deciding how to allocate them. Source: The Valley Signal

• The owner of Jackson Hole Radio is launching Teton Valley’s first community radio station, Teton Valley Radio. It will be a nonprofit, run without ads and feature programming shaped by local community input. The City of Driggs approved a lease for a transmitter site, moving the project forward. Source: Teton Valley News

• The Teton County Planning & Zoning Commission voted to create a new 2.5-acre residential zoning in rural neighborhood areas defined as 5-acre lots. This is conditional on whether a transfer of development rights (TDR) program is established. The goal of a TDR is to balance denser development with open space preservation. The Board of County Commissioners will make the final decision, and the new zoning can take effect once a TDR program is in place. Source: Teton Valley News

• An Indiana firm, CMC Leasing Teton LLC, purchased 5,400 square feet of business space on Main St. in Driggs. Source: Idaho Business Review

Regional openings

• Two new dessert shops, Vampire Penguin and Chocolate Plunge, opened in Idaho Falls.

• KidsUnited, a year-round indoor soccer facility with classes, is opening in Idaho Falls.

• Pizza Ranch, a midwestern and fast-casual restaurant chain, is opening in Idaho Falls.

• A new hotel, Fairfield by Marriott & Suites, opened in downtown Idaho Falls.

• Harmony Counseling Services opened in Idaho Falls.

• An infrared lit fitness gym, Sculptd Studio, opened in Idaho Falls.

• Cornerstone Wellness and Recovery opened a new clinic in Idaho Falls.

• The Physioshop Idaho, a 24/7 gym, physical therapy and personal training facility, opened in Idaho Falls.

• TD HOT IF LLC is leasing new retail space in Ammon.

• A new restaurant opened in Iona, ID called Society Table. The restaurant serves southern cuisine.

• Two new restaurants, Crop Dusters Grill and Uniform 12 Brewery, are opening at the St. Anthony Airport.

• Murphy Door, a Utah-based manufacturer of bookcase doors, Murphy beds and hidden-door furniture, is opening in Rigby.

• The Nook and Cranny bookstore and bakery opened in Rigby.

• The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cuttingat Rigby Air Village RV Park.

• Olive Garden Italian Restaurant is opening in Rexburg.

• The Victor Emporium in Victor, is opening a pizza restaurant.

• Baker Country Market reopened in Salmon after renovations from a structure fire.

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This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY26 as part of the Workforce Information grant (41%) and state/nonfederal funds (59%) totaling $860,595.

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