Idaho’s efforts to attract firearms, ammunition makers have paid off
By Sharon Fisher, April 13, 2018, Idaho Business Review
A recent survey ranked Idaho as the state most dependent on the firearms industry.
According to WalletHub, Idaho ranked first in the firearms industry, 10th in “gun prevalence,” and third in “gun politics.” Other states rounding out the top five were Montana, Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The study ranked Idaho as having the most firearms industry jobs per capita, and the highest total firearms-industry output per capita, tied with New Hampshire. The state did not rank in the top five for the highest average wages and benefits nor in the total taxes paid per capita.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, one of the sources for the WalletHub study, noted in its Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report 2018 that the Idaho firearm and ammunition industry was responsible for 3,219 jobs with wages of $129 million and output of $556 million. Suppliers were responsible for an additional 1,500 jobs, $77 million in wages, and $300 million in output, while there were 1,371 induced jobs at $53 million in wages and $180 million in output, for a total of 6,090 jobs, $259 million in wages, and more than $1 billion in output, the report continued. Average wages were $42,600, while the federal excise tax collected was almost $10 million.
But the downside is all the Californians pouring into Idaho. Long term outlook isn’t as solid as Wyoming.