Sun Valley Work Force
As is common in other resort communities, many individuals may be employed in more than one job and commute from other towns to their place of work.
- About 70 percent of all jobs in the county are in Ketchum and Sun Valley. About one-half of the persons that are employed in Sun Valley and Ketchum reside elsewhere. As a result, an estimated 6,000 workers commute to Ketchum and Sun Valley from other locations.
- The number of jobs in the county (17,000) and the number of residents 18 years of age and older (14,400) suggest that some employed residents may hold more than one part-time job, or in the case of the self-employed, own more than one business.
- Between 1990-99, average earnings per job in Blaine County grew from approximately $18,400 in 1990 to $28,000 in 1999 or by about 4.8 percent per year. Over this same period, average earnings per job for the State of Idaho grew much more slowly (2.9 percent).
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis Blaine County, ID- by Dean Runyen Associates 2001
| BLAINE COUNTY BUSINESSES BY STAFF SIZE: 2005 |
BLAINE COUNTY TOP JOBS BY CATEGORY: 2005 |
Less than 4 employees: 58%
|
1. Accomodation & Food Services: 2,640 |
| 5-19 employees: 32% |
2. Construction: 2,247 |
| 20-49 employees: 7% |
3. Retail Trade: 1,705 |
| 50-99 employees: 2% |
4. Professional Business Services: 1,676 |
| 100+ employees: 1% |
5. State/Local Government: 1,189 |
MAJOR EMPLOYERS
| The largest employers in the Wood River Valley include: |
| Name of Company |
Industry |
Name of Company |
Industry |
| Sun Valley Resort |
Tourism |
St. Lukes Medical Center |
Healthcare |
| Blaine County School District |
Education |
Blaine County |
Government |
| Atkinson's Market |
Retail |
Albertsons, Inc. |
Retail |
| Power Engineers, Inc. |
Business Services |
U.S. Forest Service |
Government |
| Rocky Mountain Hardware |
Retail |
Webb Landscape |
Landscaping |
TOURISM RELATED EMPLOYMENT
Visitor spending is a significant component of the local economy.
- Throughout the last decade, visitor spending directly generated about one-fourth of all jobs in Blaine County. In 2000, this amounted to 4,270 jobs (26 percent of total employment). In 1991, visitor spending generated 3,060 jobs (25 percent).
- An estimated additional 290 construction jobs with earnings of $8.4 million were related to the construction of vacation homes in Blaine County in 2000.
- The total impacts of visitor spending were 5,980 jobs and $120 million in earnings in 2000. This represents 37 percent of all employment and 29 percent of all earning in the county. (Total impacts include visitor spending, construction and all other indirect employment and earnings.)
Ski related tourist activities and lodging offer seasonal jobs in the winter. Summer, spring, and fall employment is more diverse, including construction and landscaping, in addition to warm weather tourism-related activities including tennis, golf, fishing, and river rafting.
The majority of businesses in the community are small sole proprietor retail and service establishments. For information on job openings in the Wood River Valley please contact the Idaho Department of Employment Job Service located at 513 N. Main Street, Box 3000 Hailey, Idaho 83333. (208) 788-3526.
BLAINE COUNTY WAGE SURVEY 2005
| |
Entry Level Average |
Working Range |
|
Entry Level Average |
Working Range |
| Accountant |
$15-$16/hour |
$16-$50/hour |
Sales Clerk |
$8-$9/hour |
$7-$12/hour |
| Registered Nurse |
$18-$19/hour |
$15-$26/hour |
Waiter/Waitress |
$8-$9/hour |
$7-$11/hour |
| Bookkeeper |
$10-$11/hour |
$9-$14/hour |
Housekeeper |
$7-$8/hour |
$8-$14/hour |
| Clerk Typist |
$10-$11/hour |
$10-$15/hour |
Janitor |
$9-$10/hour |
$7-$12/hour |
| Secretary |
$10/hour |
$7-$13/hour |
Carpenter |
$11-$12/hour |
$10-17/hour |
| Maintenance |
$15-$16/hour |
$12-$21/hour |
|
|
|
| Source: Idaho Job Service |
DEMAND OCCUPATIONS IN BLAINE COUNTY
|
| Carpenters |
Electricians |
Landscapers |
| Cashiers |
Food Prep/Servers |
Maintenance/Repair Workers |
| Customer Service Reps. |
Janitors/Cleaners |
Plumbers |
| Property Managers |
Registered Nurses |
|
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: BLAINE COUNTY ADJUSTED |
| 1996 |
4.1% |
2002 |
3.9% |
| 1997 |
4.6% |
2003 |
4.1% |
| 1998 |
4.0% |
2004 |
3.5% |
| 1999 |
3.5% |
2005 |
2.8% |
| 2000 |
3.5% |
2006 |
2.5% |
| 2001 |
3.3% |
|
|
| Source: Idaho Department of Labor |
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