United States › Michigan › Iron County COUNTY
Iron County Michigan · 11,757 residents (2025 est.) · 1,166 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Iron County is home to 11,667 people in Michigan. The median age is 53.1, about 14 years above the US median. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $109,100, having more than doubled since 2000. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. There are 10 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 53.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,138 in 2000
11,757 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 45.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 12K 12K 13K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Iron County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $55,940
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,560 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,506 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.411 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Public administration 3.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$109,100
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$716
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $346 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.4% in 2000
15.5% rent
from 39.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.07 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.9%(12,601)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(84)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.6%(10,576)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(268)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 16 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data from 13.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 49.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.4%(1,550)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 32.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 12.8%(137)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.6%(188)
Share of the 1,068 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Iron County Head to head
Compare Iron County to nearby counties IRON COUNTY VS
Florence County
Income $61,086 +9%
Home value $173,200 +59%
Population 4,748 −60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IRON COUNTY VS
Dickinson County
Income $65,156 +16%
Home value $153,300 +41%
Population 25,827 +120%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IRON COUNTY VS
Forest County
Income $61,071 +9%
Home value $185,000 +70%
Population 9,574 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IRON COUNTY VS
Baraga County
Income $55,327 −1%
Home value $138,100 +27%
Population 8,169 −31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Iron County, Michigan? Iron County, Michigan has about 11,667 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Iron County, Michigan? The typical household in Iron County, Michigan earns about $55,940 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Iron County, Michigan expensive? In Iron County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $109,100, and the typical rent is about $716 a month.
How educated are people in Iron County, Michigan? About 22.5% of adults age 25 and over in Iron County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Iron County, Michigan? About 17.0% of people in Iron County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.
Has Iron County, Michigan grown since 1990? Yes, Iron County, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,508 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
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