Idaho’s statewide seasonally adjusted annual average unemployment rate remained at 2.8 percent for 2018 according to benchmarked numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS’ annual benchmark process is conducted in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Labor and includes re-estimations based on updated data from the U.S. Census Bureau, BLS and other sources.
Idaho’s annual average total labor force increased by 2.6 percent between 2017 and 2018 to 856,795. Total employment increased by 3.1 percent and the total number of unemployed dropped 9.6 percent from 2017.
The state’s average labor force participation rate for 2018 was 64.1 percent.
Idaho’s unemployment rate has remained below 5 percent — within range of what many economists consider full employment — for 56 months, or just over 4.5 years. September and October 2018 had the lowest reported unemployment rate in Idaho’s history at 2.7 percent.
(Bureau of Labor Statistics)
