Idaho ranks third in wage growth nationally, report shows

Idaho’s average hourly wage in 2025 rose by 4.7% from 2024, ranking the state third nationally for percentage increases during that time, according to a press release by the Idaho Department of Labor.

That amounts to a $1.31 increase per hour statewide, with the average wage for all occupations listed at $29.41 in 2025. The median wage, or the midpoint between lowest and highest earners, also increased, jumping from an hourly $22.34 in 2024 to $23.06 one year later.

The report, although showing an increase in average wages since 2024, also comes as the lowest percentage increase since 2022.

Average wages grew by 8.3% from 2022 to 2023, and again by 5.1% from 2023 to 2024, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. The latest percentage increase would be the lowest in that three-year cycle.

“One of the strongest indicators of a healthy economy is when Idahoans see bigger paychecks and greater take-home pay,” Gov. Brad Little said in a press release boasting the figures. “Rising wages mean more opportunities for families, more confidence for workers, and more prosperity in communities across our state.”

Increases also spread across all seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Idaho, meaning that growth could be felt statewide, with the greatest percentage increase being in the southwestern parts of the state.

The southwestern region reached an average hourly wage of $30.76, and it became the only region to pass $30 per hour in 2025, according to the press release.

Even so, wage increases confront a simultaneous rise in the cost of living, as gas, housing and other necessities see frequent price jumps in response to national and local conditions.

The required living income for single adults without dependents stood at $49,091 in 2026, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator.

That’s $2,000 above the median statewide annual income of $47,970 reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment did not lag behind wages, as reported employment numbers grew 1.5% from 2024 – an increase of more than 12,000 people employed.

Fast Food and Counter workers made up the largest occupation, totaling over 25,000 workers, with 24,880 General and Operations managers following at a close second.

For more information, including a county-by-county breakdown of average wages, top occupations in the state and other data points, visit: https://lmi.idaho.gov/data-tools/oews/.