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LABOR FORCE & EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO
South Central Idaho consists of eight diverse counties: Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls with total population estimates released July 2008 at 176,400, growing 10.7 percent over the last decade. The largest county in the region is Twin Falls County which grew steadily from 1998, increasing from 63,020 to 74,284 in 2007, a 17.9 percent increase. Recreation opportunities are abundant in the south central region from world famous ski resorts to golf courses cradled in the Snake River Canyon, hunting, fishing, white water rafting of Class IV rapids, base jumping and rock climbing. The College of Southern Idaho custom designs reasonably-priced educational and training programs based on projected needs of area employers and students, with satellite campuses throughout the region. Major industries include manufacturing, tourism, dairy production and farming.
*Idaho Department of Labor, January 2010
South Central Region Labor and Economic Trends
Although the economy in TWIN FALLS COUNTY remains heavily tied to agriculture, economic developers have succeeded in diversification. The concerted efforts by community partnerships yielded new jobs in various economic sectors. These investments spurred development of a slew of new subdivisions that sent new housing permits to a peak of over 650 in 2005, slowing to under 200 in recent years.
Until the current recession, unemployment peaked at 6.9 percent in 1992 and gradually fell to a record low of 2.4 percent in 2007. The area experienced a lag going into the current recession with job losses not occurring until the fourth quarter 2008 and a doubling of unemployment estimates in 2009. Even as the civilian labor force has steadily grown, Twin Falls County remains below the U.S. and Idaho unemployment rates. In the fallout from the 2001 recession, Twin Falls and Jerome counties consistently outperformed the rest of the state.
Twin Falls County experienced a strong uptick in retail and service jobs as big box retailers converged on the entrance to the city and its main artery. A Wal-Mart super center opened in summer 2009 along with two hotels and a long-awaited new high school. The new regional medical center is scheduled to open in 2011 with strong prospects for additional medical office development in the vicinity. The College of Southern Idaho’s new health science building opened in February 2010.
*Idaho Department of Labor, January 2010
Twin Falls County Work Force Trends
Seasonally adjusted unemployment in JEROME COUNTY has improved the past few years as has been the trend throughout Idaho. It dropped from a high of 4.6 percent in 1998 to a low of 2.5 percent in 2007, driven by economic diversification, development and growth in the dairy industry. The current downturn has unemployment creeping back up but not to the record levels of 1983 when the average adjusted rate was 9.7 percent. While dairy has provided many stable jobs directly and indirectly, it remains a volatile commodity. Jerome County is expected to resume its recent experience of relatively low unemployment and continue to outperform the nation and state. The economic outlook remains optimistic with continued development of the Crossroads Point Business Center,
the concerted efforts of economic development professionals toward green energy industry is expected to pay off over the next decade with the help of Jerome’s convenient locatio on Interstate 84 and job creation efforts by industry clusters.
Hilex Poly, an advanced plastics manufacturer that makes grocery bags, and Idaho Milk Products with its new state-of-the-art milk processing plant are examples of new companies requiring workers with high skill sets. The dairy industry continues to be a major factor in the economy and community, drawing feeder businesses such as Jerome Cheese, West Farm Foods Inc. and WOW Logistics.
*Idaho Department of Labor, January 2010
Jerome County Work Force Trends
MINIDOKA COUNTY traditionally has the highest unemployment rate of all south central Idaho counties. The rate peaked at 8.1 percent in 1998 and fell to a record low 3.6 percent in 2007. In the past, many workers relied on fresh pack potato operations, farm jobs, sugar processing and potato processing for employment. But In 2003, the J.R. Simplot Co. closed its Heyburn plant, Since then, Simplot has donated the plant along the Snake River to the city of Burley for an industrial park, which now has a retail outlet, restaurant and farmer’s market in the summer. Gossner Cheese was lured to the industrial park. Minidoka County is commonly combined with Cassia County.
Idaho Department of Labor, January 2010
Minidoka County Work Force Trends
In 2007, CASSIA COUNTY's unemployment rate dropped almost a full percentage point to a record low of 3 percent before rising again in 2008 to 4 percent, which many economists still see as full employment. Commercial and home construction is outpacing the region, state and nation as corporate managers for these new companies relocate to an area that had not been overbuilt. There is a resurgence of interest in Cassia County because of its low real estate prices and the proximity of outdoor recreation. The outlook for the county’s job and labor force is strong over the long run.
Idaho Department of Labor, January 2010
Cassia County Work Force Trends
BENEFITS & LABOR FORCE COMPARISONS:
Economy.com ranks Idaho the third lowest state in the West in overall cost of doing business.
COMPARISONS - OVERALL BUSINESS COSTS IN WESTERN STATES*
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| Idaho | 89 | | Arizona | 99 | | California | 118 | | Colorado | 102 | | Nevada | 97 | | Oregon | 96 | | Utah | 92 | | Washington | 99 |
* Moody's economy.com Index
Contact: Jan Roeser, Regional Economist, Magic Valley, Idaho Department of Labor
208-735-2500 ext. 3639
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LABOR COST COMPARISONS
Labor Force and Employment
Annual Average Labor Force Data |
| Area | Civilian Labor Force | Employed | Unemployed | Percent Unemployment Rate |
| Cassia |
9,476 |
8,763 |
713 |
7.5% |
| Jerome |
10,453 |
9,520 |
933 |
8.9% |
| Minidoka |
9,491 |
8,089 |
803 |
9.0% |
| Twin Falls County |
39,674 |
36,673 |
3,001 |
7.6% |
* Idaho Department of Labor - January 2010
UNEMPLOYMENT COSTS:
Idaho’s unemployment insurance program adjusts annual employer rates more equitably. This new structure, adopted in 2005, makes the same percentage change, up or down, in the tax rate of every employer, regardless of the experience rating. This new tax mechanism also triggers lower tax rates than the previous system under similar economic conditions.
Average Unemployment Insurance Costs, New Employers 2008*
|
| | Maximum Wage Base |
Taxable Amount |
New Employer Rate |
Contribution |
| Idaho |
$33,200 |
$6,440,000 |
1.302% |
$83,848 |
| Arizona |
$7,000 |
$1,400,000 |
2.0% |
$28,000 |
| California |
$7,000 |
$1,400,000 |
3.4% |
$47,600 |
| Colorado |
$10,000 |
$2,000,000 |
2.520% |
$50,400 |
| Nevada |
$26,600 |
$5,050,000 |
2.950% |
$148,975 |
| Oregon |
$31,300 |
$6,040,000 |
2.4% |
$144,960 |
| Utah |
$27,800 |
$5,340,000 |
5.4% |
$288,360 |
| Washington |
$35,700 |
$6,280,000 |
2.70% |
$169,560 |
* Payroll-Taxes.com, May 2009
WORKERS' COMP RATES:
Idaho employers with workers’ compensation insurance pay some of the lowest premiums in the country. If lower-than-normal rates create a surplus, policyholders save in the form of rate deviations or actual dividends.
Annual Workers’ Compensation Costs in Western States (in thousands) 2008*
|
| |
Rate Per $100 of Payroll |
Average Annual Wage |
Total Cost |
| Idaho |
$0.68 |
$24,990 |
$33,986.40 |
| Arizona |
$0.72 |
$35,850 |
$51,624.00 |
| California |
$3.09 |
$29,830 |
$184,349.40 |
| Colorado |
$1.40 |
$30,150 |
$84,420.00 |
| Nevada |
$1.23 |
$28,100 |
$69,126.00 |
| Oregon |
$0.71 |
$29,140 |
$41,378.80 |
| Utah |
$0.73 |
$28,990 |
$42,325.40 |
| Washington |
$0.32 |
$30,070 |
$19,419.21 |
*Washington is a composite rate, both employer and employee contribute to the cost.
Idaho State Insurance Fund, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2009.
Note: Rate shown is for ID Class Code 3681.
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