Regional news

Regional labor market information

Figure 1.

Southwestern Idaho, seasonally adjusted data	Jul-26 (P)	Jun-26 (R)	Jul-25 (B)
Civilian labor force	490,476	489,862	493,550
Total employment	474,436	472,266	476,338
Unemployment	16,040	17,596	17,212
Percentage of labor force unemployed	3.3%	3.6%	3.5%
Source: Idaho Department of Labor	P – Preliminary	R – Revised	B – Benchmarked

• Southwestern Idaho’s labor market demonstrated expansion between June and July. The labor force increased by 614 individuals, while total employment also increased by 2,170 workers. This surge in hiring absorbed existing job seekers, causing total unemployment to decrease sharply by 1,556 people and decrease the regional unemployment rate from 3.6% to 3.3%. Overall, the figures point to a tightening labor market driven by robust local hiring demand.

Figure 2.

Southwestern Idaho job postings	Jul-26	Jul-25
Unique postings	32,573	26,063
Days posted	24	28
Number of employers	4,293	4,165
Average hourly wage	$30.09	$27.54
Percentage of postings with advertised wage	52%	52%
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Employer hiring intent appears strong over the month, with unique job postings increasing by 1,068 listings from June to reach 32,573 in July. However, compensation and hiring velocity decreased. The median advertised wage decreased by $0.25 per hour, while the median time listings remained active increased by two days. This combination may indicate a strong demand for workers in a tightening wage market.

Figure 3.

Top 10 occupations by unique job postings in southwestern Idaho	Postings, Jul-26	Postings, Jul-25
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	869	396
Registered Nurses	866	961
Retail Salespersons	729	744
Software Developers	711	488
Customer Service Representatives	691	555
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	588	476
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	474	504
Project Management Specialists	463	281
Laborers and Freight, Stock and Material Movers, Hand	425	289
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	422	329
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Demand across the region’s top occupations shifted towards service, sales and technology roles. High-volume entry-to-mid level roles such as Software Developers, Customer Service Representatives and Registered Nurses all posted month-over-month gains in recruiting activity. Conversely, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers experienced a slight decrease of 11 postings month to month. This shift points to growing demand in consumer support and healthcare services.

Figure 4.

Top 10 industries by unique job postings in southwestern Idaho	Postings, Jul-26	Postings, Jul-25
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	1,696	1,767
Elementary and Secondary Schools	691	650
Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing	683	228
Supermarkets and Other Grocery (Except Convenience Stores)	609	534
Engineering Services	518	484
Limited-Service Restaurants	435	550
Employment Placement Agencies	412	305
Other General Government Support	401	413
Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	339	1,126
Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services	326	304
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Industry posting activity reflected seasonal adjustments and shifted demand across multiple sectors. General Medical and Surgical Hospitals saw a decrease of 152 postings over the month, though healthcare remains the region’s dominant hiring industry. Meanwhile, Elementary and Secondary Schools increased recruitment efforts ahead of the upcoming academic year. Industrial sectors displayed mixed trends; Semiconductor Manufacturing posted a minor decrease of nine listings while Engineering Services experienced a notable decrease of 124 postings month to month.

Figure 5.

Top 10 hardest-to-fill occupations in southwestern Idaho	Median duration, Jul-26 (days)	Unique postings, Jul-26
Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing	43	152
Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (Except Satellite)	40	101
Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing	34	127
Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores	33	183
Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	33	339
Automotive Parts and Accessories Retailers	32	122
Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors	32	179
General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload	31	129
Residential Remodelers	31	102
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	30	112
Source: The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine

• Recruiting friction centered heavily on specialized technical manufacturing, telecommunications and skilled trades. Printed Circuit Assembly Manufacturing led the region with a median listing duration of 43 days. Telecommunications, agricultural chemical manufacturing and retail positions also show extended hiring cycles exceeding 30 days.

Regional news

• Micron Technology’s major semiconductor fabrication expansion in Boise is projected to create approximately 17,000 regional jobs, including roughly 3,500 direct technical positions alongside thousands of construction and indirect workforce roles. To support this growth, the expansion incorporates dedicated technician training facilities and localized workforce development initiatives aimed at addressing skilled-labor demands across the regional economy. Source: CNBC

• According to the latest occupational survey data released by the Idaho Department of Labor, Idaho ranks third in the nation for wage growth, with average hourly wages increasing 4.7% to $29.41 per hour and median wages rising to $23.06 per hour. Source: Idaho News

Ada County

• The City of Boise, in partnership with local healthcare, housing and nonprofit organizations, has broken ground on The Sherwood, a 48-unit affordable housing development tailored specifically for families transitioning out of homelessness. Built on city land through Boise’s Housing Land Trust model, the complex will feature two and three-bedroom apartments alongside onsite healthcare, childcare and support services, with completion targeted for winter 2027. Source: KTVB7

• A group of local agricultural producers has filed an appeal with the Idaho Supreme Court following the dismissal of their petition challenging the approval of a proposed data center development in Kuna. The legal action seeks judicial review of lower court rulings and municipal land-use decisions associated with the utility, environmental and zonation impacts of the project. Source: BoiseDev

Canyon County

• The City of Middleton has broken ground on a $68 million wastewater treatment plant expansion to meet regulatory water quality standards and accommodate regional population growth. The multi-year infrastructure project is expected to generate temporary construction jobs during development and expand long-term demand for specialized municipal operations staff. Source: Idaho News 6

• The City of Nampa has been awarded a $23 million federal BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund infrastructure and safety enhancements along the Northside Corridor. Planned improvements include road resurfacing, bridge widening, ADA-compliant sidewalk additions and new traffic signal installations. Construction is expected to begin in fiscal year 2027. Source: KTVB7

Owyhee County

• The lightning-caused Big Grass Fire along the Idaho-Oregon border has burned nearly 579,000 acres across rangelands in Owyhee County and eastern Oregon, prompting multi-agency suppression efforts and localized land closures. Firefighting personnel and interagency incident management teams continue to work on containment, mop-up operations and habitat rehabilitation planning in affected areas. Source: Idaho Statesman

• A court-appointed receiver has assumed control of the Homedale Senior Center following an eight-month closure caused by internal leadership disputes and litigation. The court-ordered transition requires establishing a new governing board and hiring new operational staff, before the facility can safely resume public services and community programs. Source: KTVB7

Regional openings

• Colette, a boutique shop, opened in Boise.

• Loving Lefse, a Norwegian-style flatbread restaurant, opened in Boise.

• Town and County Market, selling local products, opened in Boise.

• Livewell Animal Hospital opened in Meridian.

• Valkyrie Arms Training, a firearms facility focused on serving women, opened in Meridian.

• Nana’s Green Tea, serving drinks and desserts, opened in Meridian.

• Boise Crust, a pizza food truck turned brick and mortar store, opened in Meridian.

• Haven, a Cottonwood Creek Behavioral Hospital Expansion, opened in Meridian.

• The Smoky Pickle, a local barbecue restaurant opened in Nampa.

• Simplot Western Stockmen’s, a retail store, opened in Caldwell.

• Tasty Seoul, a Korean and African restaurant, opened in Donnelly.

• Independence Elementary School opened in Star.

Regional closings

• Koco Bell and Koco Bell Express located in Boise is closed.

• The Harp Irish Pub + Eatery closed in Meridian.

• The Curb Bar and Grill is temporarily closed in Meridian.

• Yume Japanese Cuisine closed in Meridian. 

• Cuppa Yo Frozen Yogurt, a frozen yogurt shop, closed in Nampa.

• Graples Home Decor closed in Nampa.

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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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