These Are The 10 Worst Places In Idaho To Get A Job

10 Challenging Cities for Job Seekers in Idaho (2026 Update)

At Zippia, our mission is to explore job opportunities across the United States and highlight both the best and worst locations for employment. In this article, we turn our attention to the cities in Idaho that present significant challenges for job seekers.

After analyzing recent job market trends, economic conditions, and growth projections, we have identified the least favorable cities to find a job in Idaho for 2026. Despite the overall improving economy, these cities have not yet caught up with the upward trends in other regions.

Based on our data analysis of Idaho’s 100 largest cities, the ten most challenging cities for job seekers in the Gem State are:

Continue reading to learn more about our analysis process and the specific challenges facing job seekers in these areas.

For additional insights about employment in Idaho, check out:

The 100 Largest Companies in Idaho
The 100 Highest Paying Jobs in Idaho

How We Identified the Least Favorable Job Markets in Idaho

Our analysis focused on Idaho’s largest cities, each with populations exceeding 5,000 residents, resulting in a selection of 100 cities for evaluation.

We assessed each city based on various criteria, ranking them from 1 to 100, with 1 indicating the most challenging conditions for job seekers. The overall average rank across all criteria allowed us to determine which cities were the least favorable for job hunting.

The criteria used in our analysis included:

1. Pinehurst

Population: 1,525 Recent Job Growth: -2.88%
Future Job Growth: 23.90%

2. Council

Population: 874 Recent Job Growth: -0.74%
Future Job Growth: 26.00%

3. Wallace

Population: 1,034 Recent Job Growth: -2.88%
Future Job Growth: 23.90%

4. Salmon

Population: 3,117 Recent Job Growth: 0.17%
Future Job Growth: 31.70%

5. Weiser

Population: 5,469 Recent Job Growth: -0.37%
Future Job Growth: 32.80%

6. Kellogg

Population: 2,151 Recent Job Growth: -2.88%
Future Job Growth: 23.90%

7. Cascade

Population: 1,237 Recent Job Growth: -2.82%
Future Job Growth: 24.20%

8. Osburn

Population: 1,633 Recent Job Growth: -2.88%
Future Job Growth: 23.90%

9. Payette

Population: 7,462 Recent Job Growth: 0.11%
Future Job Growth: 34.60%

10. Orofino

Population: 3,103 Recent Job Growth: 0.00%
Future Job Growth: 26.40%

Conclusion: The Path Forward for Idaho’s Job Seekers

Overall, Pinehurst stands out as the most challenging city for job seekers in Idaho. While the job market is gradually improving across the state, these cities still face significant hurdles. It is essential for local governments and communities to implement strategies that foster job growth and attract new opportunities.

By addressing these challenges, there is hope that these cities can catch up and provide better employment prospects for their residents in the near future.

Detailed List of Challenging Job Markets in Idaho

City	Rank	Population	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Pinehurst	1	1,525	-2.88%	23.90%
Council	2	874	-0.74%	26.00%
Wallace	3	1,034	-2.88%	23.90%
Salmon	4	3,117	0.17%	31.70%
Weiser	5	5,469	-0.37%	32.80%
Kellogg	6	2,151	-2.88%	23.90%
Cascade	7	1,237	-2.82%	24.20%
Osburn	8	1,633	-2.88%	23.90%
Payette	9	7,462	0.11%	34.60%
Orofino	10	3,103	0.00%	26.40%

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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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