April Unemployment in Idaho Hit Record High

Idaho's unemployment rate hit an all-time high in April amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and state stay-at-home orders. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April jumped to 11.5 percent for non-farm jobs. The Unemployment rate jumped from a record low in March at 2.5 percent by nine points to a record high.

The last highest unemployment rate in the Gem State was recorded in December of 1982 at 10.2 percent. Even during peak unemployment during the Great Recession the rate didn't get any higher than 9.6 percent in June of 2009, according to the Department of Labor.

Total jobs lost in April alone hit 79,500 because of COVID-19. According to the latest data, "Total employment dropped by 83,842 to 788,816, a decrease of 9.6 percent, while the number of unemployed Idahoans grew by 81,001 – nearly five-fold – to 102,975." State data also shows four business sectors were hit the hardest include leisure and hospitality down 42.3 percent, other services down 24.5 percent, information down 18.9 percent, and education and health services down 12.8 percent.

The areas of Lewiston, Coeur d'Alene, and Pocatello were hit the hardest.