(KLIX) – Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly in February, but it still remains below the national average.

The state’s unemployment rate in February was 2.9 percent, up from January’s 2.8 percent. The national rate in February was 3.8 percent. February was the 15th consecutive month the unemployment rate in the Gem State was listed below 3 percent.

Boise was the month’s fastest growing metropolitan area with an increase of 1 percent or 3,500 jobs, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. It said that 2,218 people entered the state’s labor force from January to February, a slight increase that pushed Idaho’s seasonally adjusted labor force number up to 866,633.

The number of unemployed increased by 408 to 24,779 while the total number of people working increased by 1,810 for total employment of 841,854. Idaho’s labor force participation rate – the percentage of people age 16 years or older working or looking for work – increased one tenth of a percent to 63.9 percent.

Year over year, Idaho’s seasonally adjusted non-farm payroll employment grew by 2.5 percent from February 2018 to February 2019 or, the department said, a gain of 18,600 jobs.

Of further note, non-farm jobs increased by 3,600 (up 0.5 percent) for a monthly total of 750,600.

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