BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press .

In an examination of cost-of-living trends Tuesday, a state labor economist painted a nuanced financial picture for a state that has made sizable gains in reducing poverty in recent years, but has households finding it increasingly difficult to afford necessities.

Broadly speaking, Idaho’s labor numbers this year and over the past decade have been positive, Idaho Department of Labor Economist Seth Harrington said in a webinar Tuesday.

The unemployment rate in August held from July at 3.7% and non-farm payroll for the year has seen 1.5% growth through August. From 2014 through 2024, inflation-adjusted income growth also improved 19% compared to 21.2% nationally, and inflation-adjusted gross domestic product — a measu

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