Employment rose in both of Idaho’s large counties from December 2024 to December 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that Ada County had an over-the-year employment increase of 2.4 percent, and Canyon County reported an increase of 2.0 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Idaho, December 2025

County	Percent change, December 2025
Ada	2.4
Canyon	2.0

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Idaho, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Ada	1.7
Canyon	0.8

Ada County (297,500) had the highest employment level in Idaho in December 2025. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 44.4 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

Average weekly wage gains in both large counties in Idaho were above the national average of 4.2 percent. (See chart 2.) Ada had the largest gain (+6.4 percent). In Canyon, the average weekly wage increased 4.4 percent over the year.

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Idaho, fourth quarter 2025

County	Percent change, fourth quarter 2025
Ada	6.4
Canyon	4.4

Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Idaho, third quarter 2025

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
Canyon	4.7
Ada	4.4

Ada ($1,609) had a weekly wage above the national average of $1,569. The average weekly wage in Canyon was $1,096.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 42 small counties in Idaho, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 41 of the 42 smaller counties were below the national average. Butte reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,393) in the state. Bear Lake reported the lowest average weekly wage ($828).

Among all 44 Idaho counties, 7 reported average weekly wages less than $975, 14 had wages from $975 to $1,049, 9 had wages from $1,050 to $1,124, 5 had wages from $1,125 to $1,199, and 9 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)