Regional news

Regional labor market information

Figure 1.

Eastern Idaho, seasonally adjusted data	Dec-25 (P)	Nov-25 (R)	Dec-24 (B)
Civilian labor force	133,045	132,436	136,738
Total employment	128,508	128,198	132,012
Unemployment	4,537	4,238	4,726
Percentage of labor force unemployed	3.4%	3.2%	3.5%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine	P – Preliminary	R – Revised	B – Benchmarked

• Labor force estimates for December 2025 from the Idaho Department of Labor’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics have both total over-the-month employment and unemployment increasing in the nine-county eastern region. Seasonally adjusted, December preliminary estimates have labor force participants increasing by 609 people, with 310 more employed people and 299 more unemployed people. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the region increased to 3.4% over the month and was a 0.1 percentage point greater than December 2024.

Figure 2.

Eastern Idaho job postings	Dec-25	Dec-24
Unique postings	3,737	2,574
Days posted	20	29
Number of employers	1,037	524
Average hourly wage	$22.95	$26.77
Percentage of postings with advertised wage	45%	42%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• There were an estimated 3,737 deduplicated job postings in the eastern Idaho labor market for December 2025 (regional online job postings data and not necessarily job openings data). The number of postings is an 8% decrease from 4,073 the prior month and a 48% increase year over year.

Figure 3.

Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in eastern Idaho	Postings, Dec-25	Postings, Dec-24
Registered Nurses	298	114
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	110	92
Retail Salespersons	108	120
Customer Service Representatives	96	51
Personal Care Aides	54	N/A
Laborers and Freight, Stock and Material Movers, Hand	51	63
Medical and Health Services Managers	50	21
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	48	52
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing	47	20
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	47	28
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Medical and Health Service Managers, Sales Representatives and Maintenance and Repair Workers replaced Driver Sales Workers, Stockers and Order Fillers and Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers in the top 10 regional occupations by unique job postings in December. Employer hiring demand, based on quantity of job postings, decreased for all top occupations, with three others remaining virtually unchanged.

Figure 4.

Top 10 industries by unique job postings in eastern Idaho	Postings, Dec-25	Postings, Dec-24
Health Care and Social Assistance	583	425
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	443	203
Retail Trade	365	299
Manufacturing	217	203
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	210	328
Construction	190	83
Accommodation and Food Services	160	44
Finance and Insurance	151	116
Educational Services	129	160
Wholesale Trade	126	157
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Manufacturing replaced Accommodation and Food Services in the top five regional industries by quantity of job postings for December. Hiring demand based on total unique job postings decreased or remained unchanged in all top industries. Decreases were 31% in Accommodation and Food Services, 25% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, 20% in Retail Trade, 16% in Wholesale Trade, 12% in Educational Services and 11% in Health Care and Social Assistance industries. 

Figure 5.

Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in eastern Idaho	Median duration (days), Dec-25	Unique postings, Dec-25
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	51	24
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	46	28
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers	38	25
Stockers and Order Fillers	35	45
Fishing and Hunting Workers	35	27
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	32	48
General Operations Managers	32	36
Home Health Aides	32	20
Personal Care Aides	30	54
Pharmacy Technicians	30	21
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Hardest-to-fill occupations in the eastern Idaho region for December, by highest median job posting duration and multiple unique job postings, included Personal Care Aides, Retail Sales Supervisors, Stockers and Order Fillers, Sales Representatives and Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Hardest-to-fill job posting challenges in December by occupational family were Management, Health Care Practitioners and Technical and Health Care Support. All occupations added to the hardest-to-fill jobs list in December were new, except Sales Representatives.

Regional news

• Based in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium’s Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor Tech Hub application has advanced to the next proposal stage for $73 million in federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The funding would support five projects focused on accelerating advanced nuclear reactor deployment, modernizing fuel management, growing the nuclear workforce, reinvigorating the nuclear supply chain and scaling nuclear innovation. The projects could generate $190 million in economic impact and create over 900 high-paying jobs in the region. Final grant decisions are expected in spring 2026. Source: Post Register

• The College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) in Idaho Falls enrolled a record-breaking 625 students in apprenticeship programs for 2026. This is three consecutive years of enrollment increases. With a surge in demand for skilled trades, CEI programs like electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning have filled a workforce need in growth industries. Source: East Idaho News

• Child nutrition programs in 20 schools from nine school districts in the eastern Idaho region received $420,000 in total grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Source: Idaho Department of Education

• January precipitation, as reported by Idaho SNOTEL, has snow water equivalent in the Lost, Wood, Henry’s Fork-Teton, Salmon and Snake (above Palisades) basins ranging from 87% – 131% of normal. Henry’s Fork-Teton basin registered the lowest, while Little Wood had the highest. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

• The active inventory of homes for sale in eastern Idaho has increased by 13% over the year. Regional home prices have also increased by 6% since this time last year as the quantity of homes under contract has remained fairly level. Homes for sale regionwide are also staying on the market 26 more days on average than they did last year at this time. Source: Realtor.com Inventory Core Metrics

Bonneville County

• The Idaho Falls Fire Department opened their new Fire Station 6, located in the rapidly growing area of the city’s north side. Source: East Idaho News

• The city of Idaho Falls was awarded a $400,000 U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All grant toward creating a new comprehensive safety action plan. Idaho Falls is one of five recipients in Idaho to be awarded the grant. Source: East Idaho News

• Voigt Consulting, Inc., a real estate developer, purchased five acres of commercial property on Doug Andrus Drive in Idaho Falls. Source: Idaho Business Review

Custer County

• After a decade of planning, the Stanley city workforce housing project will break ground this summer, with 18 townhomes (one-to-three-bedroom units) expected to be occupied in 2026. Boise-based Northwest Capital Corporation will develop the project on city-owned land, partly by $4 million in federal funding, with priority rental access given to essential workers like teachers and medical professionals. Source: Challis Messenger

• The city of Challis was awarded a $228,000 grant from Idaho Commerce for new pickleball and basketball courts, with construction as soon as this year. Source: Challis Messenger

• The HUB (Help Us Build) volunteer organization awarded $96,000 to 61 organizations and schools in Custer County for 2025. Funds are largely derived from a community thrift shop that The HUB operates. Source: Challis Messenger

Jefferson County

• Trellis Development purchased land around a former wedding reception venue, Loft 745 in Rigby, for a 10-year commercial development of County Line Crossroads. The 126-acre project will include medical and professional offices, retail space, a recreation center, convenience store and park. Development will begin mid-2026. Source: East Idaho News

• A sports park Land Use Agreement between Jefferson Joint School District #251 and Jefferson County Parks and Recreation was approved for 47 acres behind Rigby High School. Once completed, it will serve the area’s growing population, especially those living outside city limits. Source: Jefferson Star

• Funding for a city of Rigby water infrastructure project, to modernize aging infrastructure and improve water efficiency, has been secured via a $13 million State and Tribal Assistance Grant and the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act. Source: KIFI

Madison County

• Trellis Development has announced several construction projects representing expansive commercial growth near Rexburg this year. The first is a commercial strip called 1022 Main on 38 acres, including several fast-food restaurants and retailers. Another project is Thunderbird Business Park in Thornton, including six buildings with 27 commercial tenants. The final project is north of Rexburg on 14 acres known as White Owl Business Park. Source: East Idaho News

• The Rexburg Recreation Department has been given a private donation of the Neutral Zone, a $5 million skating and hockey rink that will now operate. Source: Post Register

Teton County

• Initial permits have been received by White Antler LLC to build 30 townhomes off Ski Hill Road in Driggs. The new development is considered one of many projects aimed at bringing affordable workforce housing into Teton Valley. Source: Teton Valley News

• Other development projects in Driggs, Signal West and the 175 Front Street Project, will provide over 30 deed-restricted apartments. Four million dollars in state funding has been approved by Idaho Housing and Finance for the project. Construction is expected to begin this spring. Source: Teton Valley News

• The city of Driggs was recently recognized by Idaho Commerce for their Main Street America Four-Point Approach for design, organization, promotion and economic vitality. The city partnered with a private property owner to transform a vacant downtown lot into a vibrant community space, allowing the city to create a temporary outdoor gathering area for residents and visitors. Source: Idaho Commerce

• A coalition of biking and skiing advocacy groups raised over $1 million to build a 3.5 mile pathway on the west side of Teton Pass. Local government plans to build as much pathway as it can afford through future donations, grant funding and tax revenue. Source: Jackson Hole News & Guide

Regional openings

• Grand Peaks, an all-in-one clinic providing medical, dental, behavioral health and a pharmacy, opened in Idaho Falls.

• Trofi, a Mediterranean-themed eatery, opened inside the Shilo Inn at Idaho Falls.

• Café Zupas opened at the new Foothill Square in Ammon.

• The Cookie Cottage, a Rigby-based bakery, opened a second location in Rexburg.

• Boondocks Restaurant, which serves eclectic comfort-food, opened in Island Park.

• Victor’s Wildwood Room, a multi-use event center, opened in Victor.

• Gaia Bowls, a new smoothie bar, opened in Rigby.

• The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce announced ribbon cuttings and/or groundbreaking ceremonies at Complyn, Floor Coverings International and Boomers Crane and Transport. These establishments either opened their doors within the past six months, moved to a new location due to expansion, have remodeled or expanded their current location.

• Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce announced groundbreakings and/or ribbon cuttings for Elevate Rexburg-BNI.

Regional closings

• Three Peaks Restaurant and Catering in Driggs is permanently closing.

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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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