Lowest-paying jobs in Boise

The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.

The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.

Navigating Boise's Job Market: Exploring the Lowest-Paying Occupations

Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.

The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Boise. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.