Regional labor market information
- Labor demand in northern Idaho was robust in March 2025, with a total of 2,077 unique job postings in the region. Job postings were elevated relative to both the previous month, with 1,876 postings in February 2025. Year over year, the region experienced 1,858 postings in March 2024. Unemployment decreased slightly to 4.4% in March, compared to 4.8% in February and 4.5% in March of 2024. Total employment and labor force both increased slightly year over year.
Northern Idaho seasonally adjusted data | Mar-25 (P) | Feb-25 (R) | Mar-24 (B) |
---|---|---|---|
Civilian labor force | 131,883 | 133,076 | 129,023 |
Total employment | 126,028 | 126,750 | 123,188 |
Unemployment | 5,855 | 6,326 | 5,835 |
% of labor force unemployed | 4.4% | 4.8% | 4.5% |
Source: Idaho Department of Labor | P – Preliminary, R – Revised, B – Benchmarked |
Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in northern Idaho | Postings, Mar-25 | Postings, Mar-24 |
---|---|---|
Registered nurses | 96 | 77 |
Retail salespersons | 92 | 86 |
Home health and personal care aides | 62 | 24 |
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers | 52 | 21 |
Customer service representatives | 45 | 37 |
Laborers, freight, stock, material movers and hand | 40 | 42 |
Cashiers | 37 | 21 |
Medical and health services managers | 31 | 28 |
Fast food and counter workers | 30 | 40 |
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 29 | 11 |
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast |
Top 10 industries by unique job postings in northern Idaho, March 2025 | Postings, Mar-25 | Postings, Mar-25 |
---|---|---|
Health care and social assistance | 291 | 242 |
Retail trade | 259 | 259 |
Administrative and support services | 174 | 145 |
Manufacturing | 108 | 120 |
Accommodation and food services | 102 | 119 |
Wholesale trade | 95 | 71 |
Professional, scientific and technical services | 86 | 66 |
Finance and insurance | 81 | 73 |
Other services (except public administration) | 76 | 70 |
Construction | 65 | 61 |
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast |
Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in northern Idaho | Median duration Mar-25 | Median duration Mar-24 |
---|---|---|
Parts salespeople | 30 | N/A |
Speech language pathologists | 26 | N/A |
Correctional officer and jailers | 26 | N/A |
Roofers | 25 | N/A |
Veterinarians | 25 | N/A |
Packaging, filling machine operators and tenders | 24 | N/A |
Logisticians | 23 | N/A |
Lifeguards, ski patrol and other recreational protective services workers | 23 | N/A |
Middle school teachers, except special and Career Technical Education | 23 | N/A |
Database architects | 21 | N/A |
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast |
Regional news
Kootenai County
- Hagadone Hospitality broke ground on the new Sherman Tower, which will be a 15-story expansion of the Coeur d’Alene Resort. The tower will feature 139 guest rooms in addition to nearly 10,000 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space. The opening is scheduled for the spring of 2027. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- Two new hotels are under construction in Kootenai County. In Coeur d’Alene, a Marriott-branded AC Hotel is now under construction, which will have 126 guest rooms and open in 2027. Work was previously underway on a 151-room Hyatt Place Hotel in Post Falls, which will open in December. Source: Journal of Business
- The developers of the new Thomas George luxury high-rise condominium tower in Coeur d’Alene announced that construction is scheduled for completion this year, with residents moving in by years’ end. The top floors of the 80-unit, 18 story tower have been poured. Source: Journal of Business
Openings
- Houston Hot Chicken (Post Falls)
- HeatPraxia (Coeur d’Alene)
- Lakeside CrossFit (Coeur d’Alene)
- Marketplace@Miles (Hayden)
- Grocery Outlet (Post Falls)
- Ponderosa Building Supply (Hauser)
- The Hound House (Hayden)
- Milk and Honey (Coeur d’Alene)
This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY25 as part of the Workforce Information grant (40%) and state/nonfederal funds (60%) totaling $885,703.
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