The five Native American tribes in Idaho have a combined economic impact of $1.45 billion, according to a study by a University of Idaho economist.

The tribes contribute heavily to the economy, agriculture, tourism, recreation and hospitality industries and support more than 12,500 jobs across the state, said Steven Peterson, a University of Idaho research economist who served as the study’s principal investigator.

“Their footprint is large enough that if you waved a wand and their activities disappeared, the state of Idaho would likely be thrown into a recession,” Peterson said. “Their economic impact is that big and substantial.”

The five Native American tribes in Idaho include:

• Coeur d’Alene Tribe, 2,599 members.
• Nez Perce Tribe, 3,526 members.
• Kootenai Tribe, 168 members.
• Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, 6,075 members.
• Shoshone-Paiute Tribes, 2,203 members. 

The study, “The Economic Impacts of the Five Tribes of Idaho on Idaho’s Economy,” was conducted in 2023. Peterson presented a report about the study on Monday during the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs’ meeting at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

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Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Chairman Lee Juan Tyler told the council that while the study measured the tribes’ impact to the state’s economy, it did not address the personal economic situations of tribal members.

“Even though we have all this here, there are other aspects of all this, different studies, that’s probably not on here,” Tyler said. “Because we still have poverty amongst our people in areas. There’s homelessness still. There’s other aspects of this where we need to find a way to help. Infrastructure. The broadband, wifi. We’re primitive over there in different areas.”

Peterson, the study’s author, said that Tyler was right.

“This was one type of study, and so it didn’t directly address many of the important issues you are raising,” Peterson told Tyler. “I will point out the paradox is that the five tribes are a huge engine of growth but they capture only a fraction of the benefits they create. So there is systemic poverty on many of the reservations in rural areas. The average income is below the state and below the nation in many areas. They struggle in terms of … basic infrastructure and many basic necessities.”

“So that paradox, even how to frame the report, we have had that discussion because we almost make it seem like the tribes or trIbal members are directly benefiting from all of this,” Peterson said. “They are a little bit. But most of that benefit is going to the surrounding communities and to the economy as a whole. So there is a dual story here.”

Peterson told the Council on Indian Affairs that all five tribes rank in the top three employers in their respective regional economies.

“Any way you slice the employment numbers, the tribes are among the biggest employers in the state of Idaho,” Peterson said during Monday’s meeting.

This is the fifth study of the economic impact of Idaho’s Native American tribes. Previous studies were conducted in 2002, 2009, 2015 and 2020.

Members of the Council on Indian Affairs discussed scheduling their next meeting during the first couple weeks of the 2025 legislative session, but did not set a specific date. The 2025 legislative session begins January 6.

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