Regional news

Regional labor market information

Figure 1. Northern Idaho labor market indicators (seasonally adjusted data)

Labor market indicators	Aug-26 (P)	Jul-26 (R)	Aug-25 (B)
Civilian labor force	126,903	127,270	128,566
Total employment	121,117	121,522	122,556
Unemployment	5,786	5,748	6,010
Percentage of labor force unemployed	4.56%	4.52%	4.67%
Source: Idaho Department of Labor	P – Preliminary	R – Revised	B – Benchmarked

• All five counties in the northern region experienced slight increases in their unemployment rate from July 2026 to August 2026. Benewah County saw the largest increase in the unemployment rate by 0.3%, from July 2026 to August 2026. The August 2026 regional unemployment rate (4.56%) remained lower than the 4.67% recorded in August 2025.

Figure 2. Northern Idaho job postings

Job posting indicators	Aug-26	Aug-25
Unique postings	5,323	4,965
Days posted	30	27
Number of employers	1,164	1,124
Average hourly wage	$23.45	$21.97
Percentage of postings with advertised wage	50%	52%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• The northern region had 241 fewer job postings listed during August 2026 compared to June 2026. However, the region had roughly 360 additional new job postings compared to August 2025. During August 2026, job postings had a duration of 30 days compared to 27 days in August 2025. Online job postings showed signs of being active for a little longer before being filled or removed when compared to this same period this year.

Figure 3.

Occupations	Postings, Aug-26	Postings, Aug-25
Registered Nurses	229	198
Retail Salespersons	214	179
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	166	182
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	154	61
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	98	120
Nursing Assistants	89	68
Customer Service Representatives	79	100
Medical and Health Services Managers	78	87
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	78	80
Cashiers	77	76
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Northern Idaho’s August postings indicate steady demand across core sectors, with healthcare remaining the largest driver of activity. Practitioner roles such as Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistants posted year‑over‑year gains, while Home Health and Personal Care Aides experienced lower posting volumes compared to the same period last year. Truck driver postings continued to show some of the most significant growth, more than doubling from last August. Retail‑related postings were mixed, with increases in Retail Salespersons but decreases in First‑Line Supervisors and Merchandise Displayers.

Figure 4. Top 10 industries by unique job postings in northern Idaho

Industries	Postings, Aug-26	Postings, Aug-25
Healthcare and Social Assistance	863	866
Retail Trade	588	648
Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services	359	424
Accommodation and Food Services	316	407
Finance and Insurance	205	142
Manufacturing	198	209
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	167	237
Wholesale Trade	146	182
Construction	144	116
Transportation and Warehousing	131	56
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• August 2026 saw higher volumes of new postings in Transportation, Finance and Construction. These areas of growth were offset by lower posting activity in Retail Trade, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, as well as Accommodation and Food Services.

Figure 5. Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in northern Idaho

Occupations	Median duration (days), Aug-26	Unique postings, Aug-26
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics	50	55
Nurse Practitioners	42	35
Cooks, Restaurant	39	50
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	39	33
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	33	98
Food Service Managers	33	54
Medical Assistants	33	47
Pharmacy Technicians	33	32
Nursing Assistants	32	89
Driver/Sales Workers	31	54
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• The most difficult positions to fill by job posting duration were within Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (at 50 days) and Nurse Practitioners (at 42 days).

Regional news

• Unemployment insurance (UI) weekly claims: The northern region reported 50 average weekly initial UI claims and 319 average weekly continuing claims during August 2026. Initial claim volume has increased 12.7% from the previous month and decreased 5.3% from August 2025. Statewide, weekly initial claims decreased 13.6% from July 2026 and 29.2% from August 2025. Statewide continuing claims decreased 12.2% from last month and 12.2% from August 2025. Source: Idaho Department of Labor

• North Idaho College and Lewis‑Clark State College announced a memorandum of understanding establishing a co‑admission and co‑enrollment agreement. The agreement is designed to provide a seamless pathway for students to earn an associate degree at North Idaho College and complete a bachelor’s degree at Lewis‑Clark State College. Students participating in co‑enrollment will have access to resources at both institutions. Source: North Idaho College

Benewah County

• The newly completed Tri-Community Library in Fernwood held a grand‑opening celebration for the community. Community partners and craft stations participated in the event. Source: The Gazette Record

Bonner County

• Bonner General Health is expanding access to urology specialty care through the opening of its new urology clinic, Bonner General Urology. Source: Bonner County Daily Bee

• The Selkirk Association of Realtors received a $7,500 Placemaking Grant to support the replacement and improvement of playground equipment in Priest River’s City Park. In addition to this award, the association provided the city with an additional $2,000 grant and indicated that it will assist with the project as needed, according to SAR officials. Source: Bonner County Daily Bee

• The Bonner County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a 12-unit subdivision outside of Coolin near Priest Lake. The proposed subdivision, called Yoman Bluffs, will have lots ranging from 2.5 to 3.9 acres. Source: The Reader

• A new career technical education facility at Priest River Lamanna High School held a ribbon‑cutting ceremony and open house Sept. 10. The facility will transition the district’s forestry program into a full career and technical education program, providing students with opportunities to learn about forestry careers. Source: Bonner County Daily Bee

• Lake Pend Oreille School District held a grand opening event for its new Career and Technical Education Center, welcoming community members to explore the facility’s offerings. The building will house existing programs such as residential carpentry, sports medicine, computer network support and nursing assistance. The expanded space will provide hands‑on learning. The new facility was funded through a $3.5 million Idaho Career Ready Students grant. Source: Bonner County Daily Bee

Kootenai County

• ATC Manufacturing began construction to expand the Post Falls facility. The project will increase the facility’s size by 57,365 square feet and is expected to double workforce capacity upon completion. The expansion is projected to be finished in summer 2027. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• Coeur d’Alene’s Design Review Commission unanimously approved a design for a one-story, 6,156-square-foot mixed use building. The proposal includes three commercial suites on the ground floor and two one-bedroom apartments on the second floor. Eight off-street parking spaces are also expected to be constructed. Construction is expected to begin between this coming fall or next spring. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• A new 56,000‑square‑foot Super 1 Foods store has begun construction in Post Falls. This location is expected to feature an expanded deli, produce department and natural foods selection compared to other stores. Construction is projected to be completed in late fall 2027. Source: Couer d’Alene Press

• Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest completed a series of facility expansions and enhancements. The hospital provides care for individuals recovering from disabilities resulting from injuries, illness or chronic medical conditions. The complete improvements increased the facility’s capacity to 70 private patient rooms. Source: Ernest Health

• Touching Hearts at Home, an in‑home care company, gathered staff and community members to celebrate the opening of its new office space in the Hayden Professional Building. The company was founded 20 years ago and now operates 102 franchises nationwide. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• Officials broke ground on a new Goddard School in Post Falls. The early childhood education center will serve children ages six weeks to six years and is expected to be approximately 12,000 square feet, with capacity for about 150 students. A ribbon‑cutting ceremony is planned for spring 2027. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has continued expanding its operations in Idaho with the purchase of a large industrial building in Post Falls. This expansion will allow the company to bring two facilities online to help meet demand for its electronic devices. The new manufacturing facility is expected to be fully operational in 2027 and to initially create approximately 250 manufacturing careers. Source: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Shoshone County

• Mountain Gem Coffee Bar, a new coffee house in uptown Kellogg, has opened in the former bakery space. The establishment provides indoor and outdoor seating, including a courtyard. The coffee house plans for continued expansion. Source: Shoshone News-Press

• Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and Silver47 Exploration Corp. have announced their plans to merge. This merger brings together Bunker Hill’s reopened Kellogg mine and Silver47’s various operations across several western states. The combined company plans to keep its operational headquarters near Kellogg. Source: Shoshone News-Press

• Shoshone County’s roads supervisor warned winter road maintenance may be affected by the department’s difficulty in hiring additional employees. During nonwinter months, the county budgets for 15 employees, but the department currently has nine. County commissioners are considering sign‑on bonuses and combining positions to create a salary sufficient to attract a qualified mechanic. Source: Shoshone News-Press

Regional openings

• Mountain Gem Coffee Bar – Kellogg

• The Bakehouse – Sagle

• Touching Hearts at Home – Hayden

• Connected Family Chiropractic – Coeur d’Alene

Regional closings

• Country Fair clothing store – St. Maries

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This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY27 as part of the Workforce Information grant (55%) and state/nonfederal funds (45%) totaling $649,127.

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