Regional news

Regional labor market information

**October 2025 employment data could not be generated due to the government shutdown**

Figure 1.

Eastern Idaho job postings	Nov-25	Nov-24
Unique postings	4,020	2,820
Days posted	22	31
Number of employers	1,034	547
Median hourly wage	$22.46	$27.26
Percentage of postings with advertised wage	45%	41%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• There were an estimated 4,020 deduplicated job postings in the eastern Idaho labor market for November 2025 (regional online job postings data and not necessarily job openings data). The number of postings is a 1% increase from 3,973 the prior month and a 43% decrease year over year. Nearly twice as many employers are hiring compared to this time than last year.

Figure 2.

Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in southeastern Idaho	Postings, Nov-25	Postings, Nov-24
Registered nurses	390	130
Retail salespersons	124	131
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	114	103
Customer service representatives	97	51
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	67	53
Personal care aides	64	N/A
Laborers and freight, stock and material movers, hand	59	53
Driver sales workers	56	39
Stockers and order fillers	55	22
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers	50	42
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Driver sales workers and laborers and freight, stock and material movers were new to the top 10 regional occupations by unique job postings this month. Employer hiring demand, based on quantity of job postings, increased over the month by 110% for registered nurses and 20% for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers. Hiring demand marginally changed for all other occupations.

Figure 3.

Top 10 industries by unique job postings in Eastern Idaho	Postings, Nov-25	Postings, Nov-24
Health care and social assistance	658	440
Retail trade	457	335
Administrative, support, waste management and remediation services	456	271
Professional, scientific and technical services	281	349
Accommodation and food services	232	55
Manufacturing	217	237
Construction	189	113
Finance and insurance	152	92
Wholesale trade	150	147
Educational services	147	171
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services replaced transportation and warehousing in the top five regional industries by quantity of job postings for November. Hiring demand based on total unique job postings increased over the month by 19% in accommodation and food services and 10% in finance and insurance. Decreases occurred in all the other top industries, including 23% in professional, scientific and technical services, 23% in educational services, 13% in manufacturing and 10% in construction.   

Figure 4.

Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in Eastern Idaho	Median duration, Nov-25	Unique postings, Nov-25
Licensed practical nurses	47	8
Parts specialists	45	8
Mortgage servicers	42	9
Merchandisers	37	9
Team members	36	14
Sales representatives	34	10
In-home caregivers	33	12
Caregivers	30	18
Medical assistants	30	9
Truck drivers	30	9
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Hardest-to-fill occupations in the eastern Idaho region for November, by highest median job posting duration and multiple unique job postings, included licensed practical nurses, parts specialists, mortgage servicers and team members. Hardest-to-fill job posting challenges in November by occupational family were health care support and sales and related. All occupations added to the hardest-to-fill jobs list in November were new.

Regional news

• Antares Industries opened an office in Idaho Falls. They are a private nuclear energy technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of advanced, transportable fission microreactors for military and commercial energy applications on Earth and in space. A $40 million strategic partnership with Idaho National Laboratory over multiple years is for building the first test reactors and developing a 200-acre campus for nuclear testing. Antares also aims at being the first privately funded advanced reactor that produces electricity inside the U.S. by 2027. Source: Post Register

• Oklo, Inc., a firm building its first advanced nuclear reactor, the Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory, has contracted with German firm Siemens Energy to design the power conversion system for the project. The agreement allows Siemens to initiate engineering and design, expedite procurement of long-lead components and initiate the manufacturing process for the power conversion system. Source: Idaho Business Review

• The U.S. military plans to build a fleet of small, transportable refineries to produce critical minerals for weapons manufacturing, aiming to reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled supplies. The first pilot project, developed with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Perpetua Resources, focuses on refining antimony — essential for bullet primers and not produced in the U.S. since the 1960s. Funded with $30 million, the Army’s pilot refinery can produce seven to 10 metric tons of antimony trisulfide annually and can be expanded. The INL will test and potentially operate the facility for the Army. If successful, similar refineries could be built for other strategic minerals like tungsten, rare earths and boron. Source: Reuters

• Since fall 2024, total public school enrollments have decreased by nearly 100 students, or 4.7%, in parts of rural eastern Idaho. These school districts include Challis, Mackay, Butte County, Salmon and South Lemhi. By comparison, traditional public school enrollment statewide declined 1.2% since last fall. Source: Idaho Education News

• The Idaho Water Resource Board approved $23 million in Aging Infrastructure Grants. Awards include:
  • Last Chance Canal Co. – $487,000
  • Farmers Land and Irrigation Company – $180,000
  • Teton Island Feeder Canal Co. – $124,054
  • Southeast Idaho Canal Co. – $221,415

Source: Idaho Business Review

• With December precipitation, snow water equivalent in the Henry’s Fork, Teton, Snake, Lost, Salmon and Wood basins ranges from 88% – 124% of normal. The Henry’s Fork basin registered the lowest, while Big Lost had the highest. Mackay Reservoir is at 95% of capacity and the Palisades Reservoir is at 83%. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

• There are 123 more homes for sale, or 13%, in eastern Idaho over the year. Yet with a greater supply in inventory, home prices have still increased 7% since this time last year. Also, it is a down month regionwide for number of homes under contract relative to 2024, and homes are sitting on the market 26 more days on average. Source: Realtor.com Inventory Core Metrics

Bonneville County

• Idaho Falls Power completed a 14,600-square-foot, 136-acre electricity peaking plant. It houses seven generators providing 17.5 megawatts of power capable of servicing 13,000 homes, plus land for expansion. The city of Idaho Falls land and project funding is valued at $36 million. Source: East Idaho News

• Snake River Animal Shelter received a $10,000 grant from national nonprofit Petco Love in support of its veterinary program. Source: Post Register

• A 131-acre industrial land parcel in Idaho Falls was sold to LLKM Properties, LLC of Ammon at just over $6 million for Idaho Falls Power’s electric generation peaking plant, in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory. The plant would be used as a backup with natural gas while working on alternative fuel sources for reliable and affordable electricity. Source: City of Idaho Falls

• LLKM Properties, LLC of Ammon also purchased an additional 21 acres of land for development on East Sunnyside Road in Idaho Falls. Source: Idaho Business Review

• Idaho Falls Luxury RV Park was approved for development on the plat of the former Sky- Vu Drive-In location. Source: City of Idaho Falls

Butte County

• Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources allocated $3.5 million in a new state wildfire resilience investment program for electric utility projects to protect against wildfires for 2026 and 2027. Lost River Electric Cooperative Inc. in Butte County is project-funded to install fire-resistant mesh wrap and avian deterrence devices on power poles and reduce fuel load. Source: Idaho Capital Sun

Custer County

• Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources allocated $3.5 million in a new state wildfire resilience investment program for electric utility projects to protect against wildfires for 2026 and 2027. Lost River Electric Cooperative in Custer County is project-funded to install fire-resistant mesh wrap and avian deterrence devices on power poles and reduce fuel load. Source: Idaho Capital Sun

Fremont County

• The city of St. Anthony received a $325,000 state grant to upgrade the airport, including the design and reconstruction of taxi and apron lines. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal

Jefferson County

• Jefferson County Commissioners approved a preliminary plat for the development of 50 single-acre lots in the Steele Water Ranch subdivision near Ririe. Source: Jefferson Star

Madison County

• New development is expected to begin this spring in Sugar City near U.S. Highway 20 and State Highway 3 at Fort Henry Junction. Several properties around the interchange have either been sold or gone under contract in recent months toward becoming a commercial and residential hub. The first additions include a large travel plaza, two manufacturing businesses and restaurants, which are expected to bring new jobs. To help manage expansion, Sugar City is forming an urban renewal agency for the city to use tax-increment financing to build roads, water lines, sewer extensions and other public infrastructure. Source: East Idaho News

• Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources allocated $3.5 million in a new state wildfire resilience investment program for electric utility projects to protect against wildfires for 2026 and 2027. PacifiCorp/Rocky Mountain Power in Madison County is project-funded to upgrade substation grid monitoring and controls for more effective wildfire response. Source: Idaho Capital Sun

• The city of Rexburg traded a $200,000 impact and building fee credit to BYU-Idaho for a five-acre parcel of land to be used as a city park. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal

Teton County

• The city of Driggs is creating a $3.5 million Local Improvement District, funding paved roads and multi-use pathway improvements. Source: Teton Valley News

• Tetonia residents approved a local option tax to help the city manage growth and development. The tax, allowed under Idaho law for resort towns under 10,000 residents, adds a small sales tax to items like meals, beverages, alcohol, tobacco and recreational rentals for visitors. It also includes a 5% room tax and a 3% liquor-by-the-drink tax on short-term lodging, ensuring tourists help fund city infrastructure without increasing property taxes. Source: Teton Valley News

• Teton County Search and Rescue was awarded $75,000 from Teton Ridge Ranch Foundation for a new operations vehicle. Source: East Idaho News

Regional openings

• Little Bluebird Studios, a shop that offers art supplies, decor, books, toys and art classes, opened inside the Rogers building in Idaho Falls.

• A new adolescent residential mental health treatment center, The Headwaters Behavioral Health Center, opened in Idaho Falls.

• Parents Night Out Co., a drop-in day care center, opened in Idaho Falls.

• Pit Stop cafe and coffee opened in Idaho Falls.

• The Heart Events, a live music venue, opened in Idaho Falls

• Elevated Healing Services, a new health clinic that gives patients the option of getting care onsite or at home, opened in Idaho Falls.

• A new dog grooming, training and rehabilitative clinic, Tailored Canine grooming, opened in Rigby.

• Dog Day Adventures, a farm-based canine sitting service, opened in Archer.

• The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce announced ribbon cutting and/or groundbreaking ceremonies at Antares Industries, The Heart Events and Garner an IHG Hotel. These establishments either opened their doors within the past six months, moved to a new location due to expansion or have remodeled or expanded their current location.

• Rexburg Chamber of Commerce announced ground breakings and ribbon cuttings for Giving Machine East Idaho, Gemstone Powder Coating LLC and Noble Jewelers.

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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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