Idaho’s unemployment rate holds steady

Idaho’s February unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%, unchanged from the prior month and from February 2025. 

The labor force decreased slightly by 1,683 people, or 0.2%, from January, according to a report from the Idaho Department of Labor. Idaho’s non-farm jobs decreased by 2,800 or 0.3% in that time. 

The labor force between February 2025 and February 2026 grew by about 0.2%, and the number of unemployed Idahoans increased by about 170 people, or 0.5%, the report said. The arts, entertainment and recreation industry saw the largest loss in employment, with a 10.8% decrease from the same time frame last year. 

Twin Falls saw the largest increase in non-farm jobs at 1%, followed by Coeur d’Alene at 0.4% and Boise at 0.3%, the report said. Pocatello experienced a decrease of 2.4%, and Idaho Falls and Lewiston saw 0.7% and 0.3% decreases respectively, the report said. 

Nationally, the United States lost 92,000 jobs in February, States Newsroom reported, which slightly ticked up the unemployment rate from 4.3% to 4.4%. Presidential administration officials blamed the job losses on extreme winter weather on the East Coast and labor strikes among West Coast health care workers, the States Newsroom reported.    

Democrats faulted President Donald Trump’s policies such as military action in Iran, which began with a U.S.-Israeli strike on the country on Feb. 28, and tariffs. 

The Idaho’s labor force and jobs data for March is scheduled to be released May 4, and April’s data on May 22.