The unemployment rate in Idaho ticked even lower in December, to 3.7 percent, after five straight months at 3.8 percent. A year ago the seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 3.9 percent.
The total number of people working in Idaho increased by about 300, to 784,200, the Idaho Labor Department said Friday. The state’s labor force decreased by 200, and the number unemployed dropped to 30,000.
The unemployment rate in Kootenai County and Coeur d’Alene remained steady at 4.6 percent in December. A year ago it was 4.9 percent.
The jobless rate in Post Falls dropped slightly to 4.3 percent; it stood at 5 percent a year ago.
The December rate was 5.6 percent in Boundary County and 5.2 percent in Bonner County.
Four of the five counties where unemployment remains above 6 percent are in the northern part of the state: Clearwater (7.5 percent), Shoshone (7.4 percent), Lewis (7.2 percent) and Benewah.
