|
 After devastating mine and smelter closures, Shoshone County’s population fell 28 percent in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the population declined slightly. Increasingly some Silver Valley towns became bedroom communities for the Coeur d’Alene area. From 1997 to 2007, the population fell 9 percent from 14,051 to 12,838, while Idaho's population grew 22 percent and the U.S. population grew 11 percent. With its economic outlook brighter, offering job opportunities for young adults, and many retirees choosing to move there, the county’s population should grow at a fair clip during the next few years. The county seat, Wallace, has a population of 880. The largest cities are Kellogg, population 2,230; Pinehurst, 1,560; and Osburn, 1,390.
|