International Falls vs Mountain Iron
International Falls, Minnesota versus Mountain Iron, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mountain Iron edges out International Falls on overall objective livability (52 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | International Falls | Mountain Iron |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $44k |
| Home Value | $114k | $167k |
| Monthly Rent | $684 | $813 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $914 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.92% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.41% | 14.83% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 2.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 5°F | 7°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 64°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.4 in | 29.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 73.0 in | 68.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 206 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 57°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 56 days | 55 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.0 | 86.7 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.2 | 72.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1114/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 1573/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,795 | 2,862 |
| Median Age | 47.7 | 49.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.09 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+22 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 91.3% | 95.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.5% | 0.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.6% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 2.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 17 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 8.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 256 mi | 186 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.7% | 86.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 84.56 | 132.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is International Falls or Mountain Iron more affordable?
- International Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with International Falls's $43k and Mountain Iron's $44k. Median rent is $684 in International Falls versus $813 in Mountain Iron.
- Is International Falls or Mountain Iron safer?
- Mountain Iron has the lower violent crime rate. International Falls reports 1114/100k and Mountain Iron reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in International Falls or Mountain Iron?
- The median home value is $114k in International Falls and $167k in Mountain Iron, so homes are more affordable in International Falls.