FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Suzanne Budge, Idaho State Director, sbs@sbsidaho.com
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 13, 2026—From Suzanne Budge, state director for NFIB in Idaho, on today’s release of the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, showing a rise of 0.5 points in December to 99.5 and remaining above its 52-year average of 98. An increase in those expecting better business conditions primarily drove the rise in the Optimism Index. The Uncertainty Index fell 7 points from November to 84, the lowest reading since June 2024.

“Gov. Brad Little’s State-of-the-State and Budget Address nicely complements the slight improvement in NFIB’s latest Small Business Optimism Index. His promise to remain ‘laser-focused on cutting red tape’ is particularly praiseworthy. Of the 75 concerns ranked by NFIB’s Small Business Problems & Priorities report, published every four years, ‘Unreasonable government regulations’ came in 7th in the 2024 report, only a tiny improvement from 6th rank in the 2020 report. ‘State and local paperwork’ ranked 19th out of 75 concerns in the latest report.”

From NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg

“2025 ended with a further increase in small business optimism. While Main Street business owners remain concerned about taxes, they anticipate favorable economic conditions in 2026 due to waning cost pressures, easing labor challenges, and an increase in capital investments.”

Highlights from the Latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index

• The net percent of owners expecting better business conditions rose 9 points from November to a net 24% (seasonally adjusted), contributing the most to the rise in the Optimism Index. This was the first increase since July.
• When asked to evaluate the overall health of their business, 9% rated it excellent (down 2 points), 54% rated it good (up 1 point), 34% rated it fair (up 4 points), and 3% rated it poor (down 2 points).
• Twenty percent of small business owners reported taxes as their single most important problem, up 6 points from November and ranking as the top problem. This is the highest reading since May 2021.

New Podcast

In conjunction with the December report, NFIB also released a new episode of the “Small Business by the Numbers” podcast. This is the NFIB Research Center’s new podcast where Holly Wade, the Executive Director of the NFIB Research Center, and Peter Hansen, Director of Research and Policy Analysis, discuss the data, stories, and economic conditions affecting small businesses nationwide.

NFIB’s monthly Small Business Optimism Index is the gold standard measurement of America’s small business economy. Used by the Federal Reserve, Congressional leaders, administration officials, and state legislatures across the nation, it’s regarded as the bellwether on the health and welfare of the Main Street enterprises that employ half of all workers, generate more net new jobs than large corporations, and gave most of us the first start in our working life. The Optimism Index (aka Small Business Economic Trends report) is a national snapshot of NFIB-member, small-business owners not broken down by state. NFIB members span the complete spectrum of small and independent businesses—from sole proprietorships to firms with hundreds of employees—across all industries and sectors.

Keep up with the latest Idaho small-business news at www.nfib.com or by following NFIB on X @NFIB_ID.

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

NFIB Idaho
802 W. Bannock Ste. 301
Boise, ID 83702
208-345-6632
NFIB.com
X: @NFIB_ID