Written by AI Claude Sonnet 5.5 wrote this on 23 October 2026 from the figures here, a list of nearby places and what it knows. It can be wrong or out of date.

What it’s like

The place. Wardner is a very small city in Idaho's Silver Valley, in Shoshone County, with far fewer people than most towns anyone would think to compare it to. Homes here cost less than in much of the country, and a smaller share of residents live below the poverty line than you might expect in a place this size. Winters are cold, with a good deal of snow, and summers are warm; the year brings a fair amount of rain and melted snow.

Work. Residents work mostly in schools, hospitals and social care, in shops, in restaurants, hotels and entertainment, and in farming, forestry and mining. Across Shoshone County, the largest workplaces include S & W Ops, which runs ski lodges and resorts with accommodations, the Kellogg Joint District school district, and Shoshone Medical Center. Unemployment across the county is a little lower than a year ago, and the county has added jobs over the past year. Few residents work from home.

Things to do. Silver Mountain, a ski area, is in or beside town, which suits the snowy winters. A longer drive away are Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area, another ski area, and the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, a protected area of woods and waterways. Old Mission State Park, also a longer drive away, is a protected area for a quieter day out.