Jobs, pay and daily life in Lewiston, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lewiston is a city in Idaho with 34,651 residents. The median household earns $72,197 a year and the median rent is $1,027 a month, which is 17.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 28,680 jobs.
How Lewiston compares. Among the 40 largest places in Idaho, Lewiston is #11 by population, #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #13 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #24 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Nez Perce County, is #11 of 44 counties for average pay ($54,589).
Lewiston has 34,651 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.8% of the population of Idaho. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,975 people per square mile. The median age is 39.8, 7% older than the state median (39.8 against 37.3).
The median gross rent is $1,027 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($1,027 against $1,238). Over a year that is 17.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $333,700, which is 4.6 times the median household income ($72,197). 67.5% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (67.5% against 72.1%).
The Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area has 28,680 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,300 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,300 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (3,630 jobs, median $45,750); production (2,860 jobs, median $49,830); food preparation and serving related (2,470 jobs, median $34,650). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Nez Perce County was 3.1%. 59.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Nez Perce County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.3% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 9.8% work from home. 6.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 43% below the state average (6.0% against 10.6%).
27.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 14% below the state share (27.5% against 31.8%). 1.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 69% below the state share (1.8% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 12.5%, 18% above the state rate (12.5% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.4°C), and the coolest is Dec at 29°F (-1.6°C). About 665 mm (26 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (86 mm) and Jul the driest (12 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Moscow (23 miles, rent 10% lower); Pullman (25 miles, rent 3% higher); Walla Walla (68 miles, rent 29% higher); Spokane Valley (88 miles, rent 32% higher). Rent differences are against Lewiston; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Idaho (247) →State guide: IdahoCountry guideNez Perce CountyIdaho rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 247 federal postings open in Idaho (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 930 | 1.31 | $34,650 | $22,500 | $37,090 | +11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 870 | 1.09 | $36,400 | $29,190 | $48,150 | +2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 840 | 1.84 | $43,430 | $30,670 | $59,850 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 730 | 1.18 | $87,650 | $69,420 | $127,180 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 680 | 0.95 | $37,010 | $27,860 | $57,250 | +5% |
| Cashiers | 600 | 1.05 | $34,660 | $29,020 | $38,440 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 600 | 0.94 | $79,030 | $47,320 | $176,820 | -25% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 570 | 1.19 | $40,700 | $34,540 | $64,530 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 560 | 1.03 | $39,080 | $32,840 | $50,000 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 540 | 1.03 | $39,390 | $33,030 | $47,390 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 390 | 1.02 | $58,830 | $44,030 | $76,770 | +0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 370 | 0.90 | $37,200 | $28,970 | $51,130 | +1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 370 | 1.39 | $38,230 | $29,660 | $52,580 | +4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 350 | 1.30 | $38,870 | $37,020 | $48,150 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 350 | 1.25 | $50,010 | $35,210 | $102,840 | +1% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 350 | 4.33 | $55,910 | $47,600 | $90,580 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 310 | 0.74 | $36,240 | $17,670 | $73,070 | +3% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 310 | 1.21 | $46,710 | $36,850 | $58,080 | +5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 270 | 2.19 | $73,990 | $48,020 | $105,790 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 260 | 0.98 | $64,580 | $44,010 | $99,290 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 730 | 1.18 | $87,650 | $69,420 | $127,180 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 600 | 0.94 | $79,030 | $47,320 | $176,820 | -25% |
| Office Clerks, General | 840 | 1.84 | $43,430 | $30,670 | $59,850 | -4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 570 | 1.19 | $40,700 | $34,540 | $64,530 | -9% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 540 | 1.03 | $39,390 | $33,030 | $47,390 | +6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 560 | 1.03 | $39,080 | $32,840 | $50,000 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 680 | 0.95 | $37,010 | $27,860 | $57,250 | +5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 870 | 1.09 | $36,400 | $29,190 | $48,150 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 600 | 1.05 | $34,660 | $29,020 | $38,440 | +5% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 930 | 1.31 | $34,650 | $22,500 | $37,090 | +11% |
These figures are for the whole Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,300 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% |
| Manufacturing | 18.9% |
| Retail trade | 13.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.8% |
| Construction | 7.7% |
| Public administration | 5.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.0% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lewiston lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nez Perce County | 42,697 | $3,075 million | $72,028 | 21,969 | 1,530 | $54,589 | +1.9% | 3.1% | 20,322 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,152 | 24.3% | $71,715 | 2.30 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,260 | 19.1% | $52,487 | 1.04 |
| Retail trade | 2,425 | 14.2% | $40,821 | 1.11 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,812 | 10.6% | $21,586 | 0.91 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,150 | 6.7% | $88,351 | 1.29 |
| Construction | 1,134 | 6.6% | $64,065 | 0.98 |
| Wholesale trade | 648 | 3.8% | $57,320 | 0.75 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 638 | 3.7% | $36,843 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 566 | 3.3% | $38,354 | 0.44 |
| Professional and technical services | 422 | 2.5% | $58,495 | 0.28 |
| Information | 305 | 1.8% | $54,652 | 0.74 |
| Real estate and rental | 173 | 1.0% | $45,289 | 0.51 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 152 | 0.9% | $23,414 | 0.41 |
| Management of companies | 132 | 0.8% | $98,474 | 0.36 |
| Educational services | 109 | 0.6% | $27,120 | 0.24 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.3% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 9.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,197 |
| Income per person | $37,764 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,027 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.1% |
| Median home value | $333,700 |
| Homeowners | 67.5% |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,300 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 5.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 27.5% |
| Born abroad | 1.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.4 | 29 | 82 |
| Feb | 0.4 | 33 | 63 |
| Mar | 4.3 | 40 | 79 |
| Apr | 8.0 | 46 | 61 |
| May | 13.2 | 56 | 62 |
| Jun | 16.9 | 62 | 50 |
| Jul | 22.4 | 72 | 12 |
| Aug | 21.8 | 71 | 19 |
| Sep | 16.9 | 62 | 23 |
| Oct | 9.5 | 49 | 53 |
| Nov | 2.9 | 37 | 75 |
| Dec | -1.6 | 29 | 86 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow | ID | 23 mi | 26,286 | $57,022 | $927 |
| Pullman | WA | 25 mi | 32,229 | $46,812 | $1,062 |
| Walla Walla | WA | 68 mi | 33,925 | $66,748 | $1,323 |
| Spokane Valley | WA | 88 mi | 106,365 | $74,042 | $1,353 |
| Spokane | WA | 90 mi | 230,293 | $70,064 | $1,215 |
| La Grande | OR | 91 mi | 13,058 | $58,427 | $968 |
| Coeur d'Alene | ID | 91 mi | 56,447 | $72,338 | $1,468 |
| Post Falls | ID | 92 mi | 43,391 | $82,183 | $1,469 |
| Hayden | ID | 95 mi | 16,338 | $82,958 | $1,733 |
| Rathdrum | ID | 97 mi | 10,874 | $86,563 | $1,459 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
34,651 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,027 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.1% of the median household income.
$72,197 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Nez Perce County (latest month 2026M09)).
Idaho. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.