Idaho Unemployment Climbs To 5.1 Percent

Idaho’s forecasted unemployment rate increased to 5.1 percent in December, up three-tenths of a percentage point from the month before, the Idaho Department of Labor reported Friday.

That figure was still five-tenths of a percentage point lower than the December 1996 rate of 5.6 percent, but remains higher than the national average of 4.7 percent, which increased one-tenth of a percentage point over November.

While Idaho unemployment was up in December, the rate was the lowest recorded for that month since 1969.

The labor department reported an annual average rate of unemployment of 5 percent for 1997, the lowest since 1969, when the rate was 4.6 percent in Idaho.

In North Idaho, December unemployment increased eight-tenths of a percentage point to 8.4 percent. That compares favorably with the December 1996 rate of 9.9 percent.

Of the five northern counties, Shoshone County had the highest rate of unemployment at 9.6 percent in December, followed by Benewah County at 9 percent, Kootenai County at 8.4 percent, Boundary County with 8.2 percent and Bonner County at 7.7 percent.

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted employment in December increased by 1,100 from the previous month, while the number of unemployed workers increased by 2,300. , DataTimes