The Town FilesWallace, Idaho
City in Shoshone County · population 791 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $232,700
- Household income
- $51,492
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 47.0
Wallace is a city of 791 people in Shoshone County, Idaho. The median home is worth $232,700, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks hipper than 87% of Idaho towns.
How Wallace ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wallace is worth $232,700, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $51,492, which is more affordable than 50% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $727 a month. 57.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wallace | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,700 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $727 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $51,492 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 57.6% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.2% | — |
Who lives in Wallace
| People | Wallace | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.1% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 91.2% |
Weather in Wallace
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.6 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Wallace since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Shoshone County since 1996
Shoshone County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4905: Straight-Line Winds |
| June 10, 2024 | Flood | DR-4789: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4589: Straight-Line Winds |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Shoshone County
Shoshone County had 4,834 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,791 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Wallace itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Wallace
1 public school with 196 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALLACE JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 196 | 10.3 |
Towns near Wallace
- Silverton, ID2.3 mi · 594 people · home $286,800
- Osburn, ID4.3 mi · 1,567 people · home $205,900
- Mullan, ID5.9 mi · 646 people · home $210,600
- Kellogg, ID10.7 mi · 2,314 people · home $250,600
- Smelterville, ID12.9 mi · 670 people · home $154,400
- Pinehurst, ID15.1 mi · 1,679 people · home $291,900
- Thompson Falls, MT28.4 mi · 1,336 people · home $266,400
Wallace questions
Is Wallace, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wallace scores better for retirees than 54% of Idaho towns and quieter than 62%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Wallace?
The median owner-occupied home in Wallace is valued at $232,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,492, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $727 a month.
What is the weather like in Wallace?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 75.6 inches of snow.
Does Wallace get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Wallace in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)