Regional labor market information

• Labor demand in northern Idaho was robust in April 2025, with a total of 2,123 unique job postings in the region. This number was elevated relative to both the previous month, with 2,078 postings in March 2025, and year over year, with April 2024 having 1,623 postings. Unemployment increased slightly to 4.7% in April, compared to 4.4% in March and 4.5% in April of 2024. Total employment and labor force both increased slightly year over year.

Figure 1.

Northern Idaho seasonally adjusted data	Apr-25 (P)	Mar-25 (R)	Apr-24 (B)
Civilian labor force	132,466	131,910	129,052
Total employment	126,286	126,055	123,213
Unemployment	6,180	5,855	5,839
% of labor force unemployed	4.7%	4.4%	4.5%
Source: Idaho Department of Labor	P – Preliminary, R – Revised, B – Benchmarked

Figure 2.

Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in northern Idaho	Postings, Apr-25	Postings, Apr-24
Registered nurses	124	64
Retail salespersons	93	90
Home health and personal care aides	65	34
Customer service representatives	53	25
Heavy and tractor trailer truck drivers	43	20
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	39	23
Fast food and counter workers	36	30
Food service managers	34	23
Laborers, freight, stock, material movers and hand	33	28
Cashiers	32	26
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast

Figure 3.

Top 10 industries by unique job postings in northern Idaho	Postings, Apr-25	Postings, Apr-24
Health care and social assistance	307	197
Retail trade	228	200
Administrative and support services	191	133
Accommodation and food services	133	131
Wholesale trade	963	61
Manufacturing	91	101
Finance and insurance	89	88
Professional, scientific and technical services	76	60
Construction	66	53
Real estate, rental and leasing	45	35
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast

Figure 4.

Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in northern Idaho	Median duration Apr-25	Median duration Apr-24
Transportation, storage and distribution managers	24	N/A
Occupational therapists	24	N/A
Graphic designers	24	N/A
Production workers and all other	23	N/A
Grinding, lapping, polishing, buffing machine tool setters, operators, tenders, metal and plastic	23	N/A
Logging equipment operators	23	N/A
Loan officers	22	N/A
Maids and housekeeping cleaners	21	N/A
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary	21	N/A
Heating, air conditioning, refrigeration mechanics and installers	21	N/A
Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast

Regional news

Kootenai County

• North Idaho College’s (NIC) trustees voted unanimously to bring forward a $58.9 million budget for fiscal year 2026 which includes the college’s first tuition increase since 2019. The budget proposal includes a tuition increase of $5.50 per credit for in-district students and $6 per credit for all other students. The budget proposal would shrink NIC’s budget deficit from $5.2 million in fiscal year 2025 to $1.2 million in the upcoming fiscal year. Even with the proposed tuition increase, NIC’s tuition rates would remain tied with the College of Southern Idaho, which is the lowest in the state. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• School levies in Post Falls and Lakeland School District passed with 62% and 66% support, respectively. Post Falls passed a $5.9 million per year supplemental levy which will support extracurriculars, school safety measures, staff salaries and other items. Lakeland passed a $7.5 million per year supplemental levy. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• The Post Falls City Council approved a $11.7 million project to design and build a new public works operations center. The new facility will eventually house the city’s streets, water operations and utility divisions. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Openings

• Selkirk Pickleball Pro Shop (Dalton Gardens)

• Alani Bakery, LLC (Coeur d’Alene)

• 208Massage&Spa (Coeur d’Alene)

• Houston Texas Hot Chicken (Post Falls)

• Moon River Thai Kitchen (Post Falls)

• Bean & Bubb Coffee (Rathdrum)

• Capriotti’s (Post Falls)

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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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