Preliminary data for the month of August 2014 show the Boundary County civilian workforce numbers 4,475 individuals, with 262 unemployed, giving an unemployment rate of 5.9%, down from the 6.2% unemployment rate of the previous month of July 2014. Boundary County's August number of 5.9% is substantially better than August of last year, when unemployment stood at 9.0%.
Boundary County's jobless rate continues higher than Idaho's statewide rate of 4.7%. Idaho's August rate is one-tenth point lower than the July figure of 4.8%. A year ago, Idaho's statewide unemployment was significantly higher at 6.2%.
In nearby counties, Bonner County's unemployment rate for August was higher than our local rate, Bonner County being at 6.5%, with their civilian labor force being 18,721. The Kootenai County unemployment rate for August was 5.0%
Only eight Idaho counties saw monthly jobless rates increase between July and August while seven others posted no change, and the remaining 29 Idaho counties posting improved employment figures.
The best numbers were posted by Franklin County (in southern Idaho on the Utah border), with a jobless rate of 2.5%. This is the third time in the past five months that Franklin County has been under 5% on unemployment. The county with the highest unemployment was Clearwater County (the Orofino area), whose jobless rate is 9.1%.
Idaho businesses hired 18,600 workers during August, almost all to fill existing job vacancies. Of the 1,500 new jobs Idaho employers added in August, positions in mining, logging and construction all generated slightly more jobs than usual, as did financial services, business services and restaurants.
Unemployment for the United States nationwide for August was 6.2%. The Idaho Department of Labor reports that for nearly 13 years now, Idaho’s rate has been lower than the national rate. As it stands now, Boundary County's rate is also better than the nationwide rate for August.