Idaho’s February unemployment remains unchanged at 3.6 percent

Idaho’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.6 percent in February. Both the number of job seekers and the number of positions available grew.

The state added the highest proportion of new jobs in the fields of construction and finance, with smaller gains in manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.

In Kootenai County, February’s unemployment was 4.4 percent, unchanged from January.

Unemployment rates for other North Idaho counties were: Bonner, 4.6 percent; Boundary, 5.4 percent; Benewah 6 percent; and Shoshone, 7 percent.

Statewide, there were more than 20,000 Idaho jobs advertised online in February. Of those jobs, 4,300 were classified as “hard to fill” jobs. Registered nurses and truck drivers were the two most in demand occupations.