Iron County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Name: Iron County, Michigan Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Iron County, Michigan has a population of 11,667, the 73rd most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $55,940 and the median home value is $109,100. The poverty rate is 17.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Iron County Quick Facts

Population 11,667

Median Household Income $55,940

Median Home Value $109,100

Poverty Rate 17.0%

Unemployment Rate 5.3%

Median Age 53.1 years

Homeownership Rate 84.5%

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.5%

High School Graduation 94.7%

Cities/Places 6

Population 11,667 73rd of 83

Median Income $55,940 23% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.0%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Iron County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	11,650	11,667	+0.1%
Median household income	$53,614	$55,940	+4.3%
Median home value	$101,500	$109,100	+7.5%

Median Household Income

Iron

$55,940

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Iron

$109,100

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.0%

$25K-$50K 23.0%

$50K-$100K 33.7%

$100K+ 21.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.7%

$10K-$15K

5.6%

$15K-$20K

3.4%

$20K-$25K

5.2%

$25K-$30K

6.0%

$30K-$35K

6.0%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

3.4%

$45K-$50K

3.2%

$50K-$60K

8.2%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

8.8%

$125K-$150K

5.1%

$150K-$200K

3.8%

$200K+

3.7%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

47.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 84.5%

Renter 15.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $716/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.5%

18-34

13.8%

35-54

20.4%

55-74

35.4%

75+

12.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Iron County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Iron River	3,002	$54,183	20.6%	$85,000
Crystal Falls	1,719	$60,865	20.9%	$83,300
Caspian	600	$32,794	35.3%	$79,100
Gaastra	296	$47,708	29.1%	$49,200
Amasa	253	$40,764	17.4%	$85,400
Alpha	215	$39,115	21.4%	$34,100

Explore Michigan Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Iron County is located in Michigan with a total population of 11,667. It is the 73rd most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Iron County is 53.1 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 12.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Iron County is $55,940. This is 23% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.0%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $109,100. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Iron County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Iron County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

22.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Iron County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Michigan and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Iron County, Michigan?

Iron County has a population of 11,667, making it the 73rd most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Iron County?

The median household income in Iron County is $55,940 with a poverty rate of 17.0%.

How many cities are in Iron County, Michigan?

Iron County contains 6 Census-designated places.