Metro Job Market Pulse · General Market Conditions · October 2026
General Market Conditions Labor Market Report: Coeur d'Alene, ID MSA — October 2026
Kootenai County wages outpace inflation as skilled trades lead.
Kootenai County wages rose 5.2% over the past year against a national pattern of real wage decline, while advertised pay for electricians ($93,600) and registered nurses ($101,037) far outpaces softening office-sector pay locally.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Kootenai County wage growth: 5.2% — vs 3.6% national average annual growth
- Idaho unemployment rate: 3.6% — Unchanged since August 2026, below 4.1% national rate
- Northern Idaho avg. advertised wage: $22.95/hr — vs $29.51/hr in Southwestern Idaho (Boise)
- National real wage growth: -0.1% — Nominal wages up 3.6% against 3.5%+ CPI gain
Key takeaways
Wage gains outpace inflation here more than nationally.
Kootenai County's 5.2% annual wage growth compares favorably to the national pattern of real wages declining roughly 0.1% amid 3.5%+ CPI growth. That divergence, if sustained, supports stronger local consumer spending power relative to national trends.
Skilled trades and healthcare carry the region's momentum.
Electrician advertised pay rose to a metro median of $93,600, well above the national $71,835 figure, while registered nurse pay reached $101,037 locally. Both align with Idaho Department of Labor projections of continued healthcare and construction-led growth, suggesting the metro's expansion is concentrated in these sectors.
Office and professional-services pay is softening locally.
Administrative assistant, software engineer, data engineer and account manager advertised pay all declined in the metro even as several of those roles held steady or rose nationally. That pattern may reflect a smaller base of white-collar employers in the Coeur d'Alene MSA, making local professional-services pay more sensitive to a handful of postings.
Regional job-ad data show Northern Idaho trailing Boise's pace.
Northern Idaho logged 5,404 job postings at a $22.95 average wage, well below Southwestern Idaho's 34,601 postings and $29.51 average. Job ads are a signal of hiring demand, with one ad often covering several openings, but the volume and wage gap suggest Boise-area momentum is translating unevenly to Kootenai County.
Median advertised pay by role — Coeur d'Alene, ID MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $31,203 | $35,360 | $37,654 | Moderate decline | $33,340 |
| Retail Cashier | $31,088 | $34,320 | $35,360 | Moderate increase | $31,268 |
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate | $35,360 | $41,600 | $43,680 | Moderate increase | $38,480 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $60,000 | $72,289 | $83,991 | Moderate decline | $78,872 |
| Delivery Driver | $33,819 | $37,440 | $41,600 | Moderate decline | $34,826 |
| Construction Laborer | $39,520 | $44,720 | $47,840 | Moderate decline | $40,727 |
| Electrician | $71,271 | $93,600 | $95,940 | Moderate increase | $71,835 |
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler | $35,360 | $39,520 | $43,979 | Moderate decline | $39,520 |
| Customer Service Representative | $35,360 | $39,992 | $44,764 | Moderate decline | $39,520 |
| Food Service Worker | $32,118 | $34,320 | $36,400 | Moderate decline | $33,764 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | $38,586 | $46,800 | $47,840 | Stable | $41,600 |
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk | $37,505 | $42,067 | $44,741 | Moderate decline | $44,552 |
| HVAC Technician * | $58,097 | $70,720 | $80,000 | Moderate increase | $71,406 |
| Registered Nurse | $87,500 | $101,037 | $113,441 | Moderate increase | $102,252 |
| Software Engineer | $97,027 | $125,347 | $132,500 | Moderate decline | $154,403 |
| Data Engineer * | $85,520 | $120,578 | $136,639 | Moderate decline | $138,000 |
| Accountant | $58,576 | $75,000 | $77,294 | Moderate increase | $72,000 |
| Financial Analyst * | $73,487 | $93,728 | $95,577 | Stable | $94,646 |
| HR Generalist/Manager | $55,433 | $62,504 | $68,109 | Significant decline | $74,477 |
| Marketing Specialist * | $46,928 | $65,000 | $75,436 | Significant increase | $62,916 |
| Operations Manager * | $70,709 | $77,612 | $82,055 | Significant increase | $86,294 |
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher | $32,240 | $42,640 | $52,234 | Moderate increase | $55,908 |
| Account Manager | $50,000 | $67,183 | $90,499 | Moderate decline | $94,009 |
| Warehouse Manager * | $70,000 | $70,000 | $70,000 | No data | $75,000 |
| Business Analyst | $78,560 | $81,872 | $81,872 | Moderate increase | $98,302 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Industry snapshot
| Sector | Median advertised pay | Pay trend | Postings trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $57,200 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Manufacturing | $62,400 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Retail Trade | $37,795 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | $43,680 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Information | $72,500 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Financial Activities | $50,450 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Professional & Business Services | $46,551 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Education & Health Services | $68,986 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Leisure & Hospitality | $37,440 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Government | $66,953 | Stable | Significant increase |
Local market conditions
Kootenai County wages climbed 5.2% over the past year, outpacing the 4.1% national average, even as the civilian labor force held at roughly 89,000 and regional job postings data show Northern Idaho's average advertised wage ($22.95/hour) trailing Southwestern Idaho's ($29.51/hour). Healthcare, construction and professional services continue to anchor the county's roughly 1,800 jobs added over the past year, a pattern consistent with the metro's longer transition away from seasonal tourism dependence and toward year-round employment.
What it means
Wage growth outpacing inflation locally, paired with advertised pay gains in registered nursing, electrical work and accounting, points to a labor market where demand is concentrated in skilled trades and healthcare, with less even spread across the basket of occupations tracked here. Commerce leaders weighing expansion or relocation decisions should note that construction labor costs are easing (advertised pay for construction laborers down, moderate magnitude) even as electrician pay rises sharply, a divergence that complicates any single read on local building costs. Current conditions suggest reviewing sector-specific wage trajectories before assuming uniform cost pressure across a project or investment timeline.
Looking ahead
Worth watching: Idaho's statewide labor force participation rate ticked down to 61.4% in September, and nonfarm job growth statewide was flat at 0.1%. Watch whether Kootenai County's labor force, at roughly 89,000, mirrors that softening in the next release.
Emerging pressure point: South-Central Idaho's wage and posting declines (average wage falling from $30.46 to $22.95 YoY) illustrate how quickly regional momentum can reverse. Commerce leaders should monitor whether similar softening appears in North Idaho postings data over the next two reporting cycles.
Potential inflection point: Construction laborer advertised pay fell locally while electrician pay rose sharply, a split that could affect the cost and timeline of commercial and public infrastructure projects. Track whether this gap narrows or widens as regional building activity continues.
Early indicator: National WARN filings remain elevated (3,860 notices affecting over 340,000 workers through late October), concentrated in technology and finance sectors, distinct from the sectors driving Kootenai County's growth. Local economic development offices may want to watch whether any displaced specialized talent migrates toward North Idaho's healthcare or professional-services employers.
Sources
- Idaho Department of Labor — Kootenai County wages rose 5.2% over past year, outpacing national average
- Idaho Department of Labor — Kootenai County added approximately 1,800 jobs over 12 months
- Idaho Department of Labor LMI — Northern Idaho posted 5,404 job postings at $22.95 average wage vs Boise's 34,601 at $29.51
- Bureau of Labor Statistics / Idaho Dept. of Labor — Idaho unemployment held at 3.6% in September 2026
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — National median weekly earnings rose 1.5% vs 3.5% CPI gain in Q3 2026
- LayoffAlert — 3,860 WARN notices filed nationally through Oct. 26, affecting 340,316 workers
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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