Wardner at a glance
- Population: roughly 203 people; 169th of 197 places in Idaho (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 192 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 5.7% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Idaho places: 169th of the state's 197 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 14% of places in Idaho are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 47.5190, -116.1357 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Kellogg, ID (1 mi); Smelterville, ID (3 mi); Pinehurst, ID (5 mi); Osburn, ID (6 mi); Wallace, ID (10 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller communities: Fernan Lake Village, ID (30 mi); Huetter, ID (36 mi); State Line, ID (44 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Wardner
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Idaho lending rules that apply in Wardner
The table lists the Idaho rules that apply to a loan made in Wardner, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Lenders License required (regulated consumer loans) Source says: "unless a person is exempt ... he shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making regulated consumer loans". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) Source says: "Safeguarding the financial health of Idahoans through the appropriate oversight of diverse financial institutions, the education and protection of consumers". | Idaho Department of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Idaho Credit Code finance-charge rule | No statutory maximum finance-charge rate — rate as agreed by the parties (Idaho Credit Code) Source says: "the rate of finance charge shall be that which is agreed upon between the parties to the transaction". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum legal rate (when no written contract fixes a different rate) Source says: "interest is allowed at the rate of twelve cents (12¢) on the hundred by the year". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday loan license required) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of payday loans ... without having first obtained a license under this chapter". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Wardner
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Wardner:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Idaho using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.