Boise Economy Shows Relative Strength In Shaky Recovery

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Boise's growing number of construction jobs boosted employment in the city this spring, the Brookings Institution's Mountain Monitor report says.

Early this year, as a signs of economic recovery faded into yet another spring slump, Boise for the most part held its ground.

That’s the main local takeaway from the Brookings Institution’s current Metro Monitor report, which sizes up the health of urban economies from April through June.

Idaho’s unemployment rate held steady during that period, staying just below the national average. But Boise’s employment — its total number of wage and salary jobs — grew by 1.3 percent.

That may not sound like much, but the city was one of only six major metros to post gains of one percent or more, the Brookings report says.

Boise’s output — defined as the market value of goods and services produced in the city — grew by 0.5 percent over the quarter, a slightly better rate than the nation’s major cities, on average.

Finally, the Brookings study looks at housing.  Local house prices have improved by 3.9 percent from their post-recession low point, which is pretty good, compared to cities overall.

On this measure, Boise places third out of the 100 cities evaluated.  But, for the second straight quarter, prices softened slightly, falling by 0.7 percent.

Boise’s recovery, like the nation’s, appears fragile.