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Growth, recession, the transition of Idaho’s economy, and the effects of change on Idahoans.

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March 2, 2012

January’s Jobless Rate Drops Slightly

The Idaho Department of Labor estimates January’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.1 percent.  That’s down from December’s estimate of 8.3 percent. Despite the downward trend, there are still an estimated 63,000 people in Idaho without jobs.  Those figures don’t take into account the people who have given up looking for work.  Bob Uhlenkott at […]

March 1, 2012

Idaho’s 2011 Unemployment Rate Barely Lower Than 2010

Idaho’s average annual jobless rate in 2011 wasn’t much different from 2010.  Data released this week from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Idaho’s average unemployment rate in 2011 was 8.7 percent, down one-tenth of a percent from 2010. Idaho Department of Labor Regional Economist Kathryn Tacke says there are a couple of reasons for […]

A Quarter Of Houses Sold In Idaho Last Year Were Foreclosures

Almost 25 percent of the houses sold in Idaho last year were foreclosure sales.  That’s according to RealtyTrac, a company which specializes in housing market and foreclosure data analysis.  Last year, foreclosure sales were about 23 percent of all houses sold, nationally. Other western states had among the highest rates of foreclosures sales in 2011.  Numbers […]

February 27, 2012

A Seasonal Ski Hill Is One Idaho County’s Top Employer

In about 30 minutes, outdoor winter recreators can escape the snow-less city of Boise and find themselves in a winter wonderland.  It’s the Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area.  Downhill ski slopes along with Nordic and snowshoe trails are perched on the far southern end of Boise County, just across the Ada County line.  It’s this seasonal […]

February 24, 2012

Essential StateImpact: Top Five Posts Of The Week

Each week we take a look back at the five stories getting the most clicks, comments and shares.  In case you missed anything, our readers think these are the five essential stories from the week. “60 Minutes” Highlights Unique Program To Put People Back To Work A Life Unfolds As Idaho Sorts Out Its Budget Priorities […]

February 20, 2012

“60 Minutes” Highlights Unique Program To Put People Back To Work

CBS News 60 Minutes’ story Trapped in Unemployment follows a group of jobless 40-and 50-somethings.  They’re participants in a program aimed at getting people back to work through internships. The story takes place in Connecticut, some 2,000 miles away from Idaho.  But the stories in the 60 Minutes piece don’t stray far from the narratives […]

February 17, 2012

Essential StateImpact: Top Five Stories Of The Week

These are the five stories generating the most clicks, comments and shares this week.  In case you missed one, we put them all in this tidy list: The Idaho Caucus Cheat Sheet: Where the Candidates Stand on Economic Policy Car Sales Are Big Business in One Rural Idaho County Santorum, Romney Campaign for Idaho’s 32 […]

Tallying The Value Of Government Benefits In Idaho

In three Idaho counties, government benefits accounted for more than 30 percent of county income in 2009.  That’s according to a data application from The New York Times that tracks government benefit payments to individuals over the last 40 years. The Idaho counties that receive the most are Lewis, Clearwater and Shoshone, but the data […]

February 14, 2012

Valentine’s Day, by the Numbers

We all know flower shops and candy makers see a big boost around February 14th, but these businesses operate year round and employ hundreds of thousands of people.  The U.S. Census Bureau puts together interesting lists of data for many holidays.  Check out some interesting stats on the industries certainly getting some help from Valentine’s […]

February 13, 2012

Idaho Exports Increase in 2011

Idaho’s Commerce Department reports exports totaled a record $5.89 billion in 2011.  According to a press release, the department says exports were up more than 14 percent last year compared to 2010. Idaho’s top exports include; semiconductors (memory chips), industrial equipment, precious and semi-precious metals, agriculture commodities, processed food, fertilizers, paper products and personal care […]

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