Region labor market information
- Labor demand in south central Idaho remained stable in September with a total of 2,734 unique job postings, decreasing 1% from the 2,706 unique postings in August. The unemployment rate remained at 3.5%, having increased 0.4% from September 2023. Additionally over the past year, total employment increased 1.3%.
| South central Idaho seasonally adjusted data | Sep-24 (P) | Aug-24 (R) | Sep-23 (B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian labor force | 108,140 | 109,121 | 106,312 |
| Total employment | 104,327 | 105,257 | 102,991 |
| Unemployment | 3,813 | 3,864 | 3,312 |
| % of labor force unemployed | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Source: Idaho Department of Labor | P - Preliminary | R - Revised | B - Benchmarked |
| Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in south central Idaho | Postings, Sep-24 | Postings, Sep-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Retail salespersons | 146 | 96 |
| Registered nurses | 121 | 90 |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 110 | 92 |
| First-line supervisors of retail sales workers | 72 | 88 |
| Laborers, freight, stock material movers and hand | 54 | 32 |
| Customer service representatives | 49 | 70 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products | 43 | 28 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general | 43 | 36 |
| Drivers and sales workers | 40 | 38 |
| Fast food and counter workers | 39 | 28 |
| Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast | ||
| Top 10 industries by unique job postings in south central Idaho | Postings, Sep-24 | Postings, Sep-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 461 | 379 |
| Health care and social assistance | 435 | 250 |
| Manufacturing | 339 | 254 |
| Wholesale trade | 143 | 105 |
| Finance and insurance | 118 | 75 |
| Accomodation and food services | 115 | 163 |
| Construction | 108 | 49 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 96 | 93 |
| Public administration | 90 | 66 |
| Information | 87 | 26 |
| Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast | ||
| Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in south central Idaho | Days to fill, Sep-24 | Days to fill, Sep-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school teachers, except special, career and technical education | 59 | N/A |
| Pharmacists | 58 | 58 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation and relay | 58 | N/A |
| Surgical technologists | 56 | 29 |
| Cooks and fast food | 55 | N/A |
| Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining | 55 | N/A |
| Sales and related workers, all other | 53 | 30 |
| Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents | 51 | 30 |
| Natural science managers | 50 | 5 |
| Training and development specialists | 49 | 33 |
| Source: Conference Board data via Lightcast | ||
Blaine County
- The Sun Valley based nonprofit Higher Ground will be able to expand its programming for veterans with disabilities thanks to a nearly $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the grant will go towards sustaining regular mountain biking, fishing and ski trips for disabled veterans throughout the Wood River Valley. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
Minidoka County
- Mart Group has opened a new potato processing plant in Rupert. The plant will produce many different potato products, including a fully baked frozen potato called an OH!Tatoe, a very popular product in the Japanese market. The plant expects to add 80 jobs to the local economy and be fully functioning by the end of October. Source: KMVT
Twin Falls County
- The Center for Community Health, which provides resources and support for those in need, has opened in Twin Falls. The center helps community members apply for Medicaid, food stamps, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, as well as navigate housing and utility assistance. Overall, it will be a useful community resource for information and services. Source: KMVT
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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