POST FALLS - Don't start throwing darts at Kootenai County's jobless number just yet, labor analysts say.

However, if it doesn't turn downward next month, line up.

Kootenai County's jobless rate inched up to 7.4 percent in May - up a tenth of a percent from April - despite seasonal employment and construction season heating up, according to a report released by Idaho Department of Labor on Friday.

Alivia Metts, IDL's regional economist, calls that change "statistically insignificant" and said the typical summer drop in the unemployment number should be seen in next month's report.

"Keep in mind that the May labor force numbers lag what we are seeing today (in the report)," Metts said, adding that the latest numbers are based on the job front from April 12 to May 12.

"The construction season has still not been realized through the numbers and won't be accounted for until probably next month's release as well as the increase in all other seasonal employment."

Metts said the overall local employment situation today is better than it was last year at this time when the jobless rate was 8.7 percent.

"The number of unemployed declined 15 percent (930 less people) from one year ago," she said.

Metts said job openings and building permits, particularly with single-family housing, are both up, which are other positive indicators.

"The industries with the most openings (through IDL) are in telecommunications, accommodation and food services and health care," she said.

Benewah County finally dipped below a double-digit rate at 9 percent, down from 10.5 percent in April and 12 percent in May 2012.

Idaho's labor force increased by 1,100 workers last month - the largest number in more than a year - pushing the state's unemployment rate from 6.1 percent in April to 6.2 percent for May, according to the report. It was the state's first increase in the unemployment rate since June 2011.

The national rate also increased a tenth of a percent to 7.6 percent in May.

May marked the 140th straight month Idaho's rate has been below the national average.

May's labor force expansion ended a four-month decline of 4,000 to October 2011 levels even though Idaho's economy was beginning to add jobs at a decent rate.

The labor force decline had raised analysts' questions about the state's ability to staff a sustained job expansion, but an influx of new workers - the largest one-month gain since November 2011 - may indicate renewed optimism about Idaho's economic recovery and its ability to generate jobs, the report states.

All major sectors of the economy except private education services reported increasing payrolls from April to May, and nearly all were at rates higher than average over the past 10 years. Education services dropped 300 jobs from April, reflecting the winding down of the traditional school year.