Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6% in April, down from March’s rate of 2.7%, the Idaho Department of Labor announced Friday.
The Twin Falls metro area had the largest jump in non-agricultural employment last month, the department said, with a 1.4% increase. The Twin Falls area also had the largest year-over-year increase in employment: 5.6% more jobs in April compared with April 2021.
April was the third consecutive month that Idaho has broken its own record for low unemployment, going back to at least 1976, the department said. The state’s workforce grew by about a half of a percent, with about 4,770 more Idahoans employed or looking for work, it said.
Idaho’s unemployment rate was about 38% lower than the national average in April.
The department estimated that, during the month of April, there were 2.1 job openings in Idaho for every unemployed Idahoan looking for work.
Industries with the largest job gains in April were:
- natural resources (4.3%)
- wholesale trade (2%)
- professional and business services (1.8%)
- private educational services (1.5%)
- nondurable goods manufacturing (1.3%)
Those with the largest job losses in April were:
- arts, entertainment and recreation (-2%)
- information (-1.3%)
- other services (-1.1%)
