Iron County, Michigan
Among the top 14% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
- top 9% for monthly rent
- top 15% for summer humidity
- bottom 6% for annual snowfall
Iron County is a county in Michigan with about 12,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include monthly rent, summer humidity, and sales tax. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
Official websiteiron.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
cool
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warm
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cold
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72%41%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in1.2 in
humid 18%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$52k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 57% of US counties
Home Value$96k10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$627better than 91% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 81% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.51%better than 14% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.04%better than 60% of US counties
Unemployment4.6%better than 52% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)15°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation30.8 in26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall67.7 inbetter than 6% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 50% of US counties
Summer Humidity56°Fbetter than 85% of US counties
Comfortable Days69 daysbetter than 25% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk55.1better than 44% of US counties
School Quality42.2better than 20% of US counties
Violent Crime573/100kbetter than 65% of US counties
Property Crime317/100kbetter than 83% of US counties
Community
Population11,58526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age53.497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1218th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0369th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2636th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)93.1%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.3%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 75% of US counties
Walkability6.1/20better than 50% of US counties
Airport Distance225 mibetter than 11% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.1%better than 21% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.73better than 45% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Iron County an affordable place to live?
- Iron County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 57% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Iron County?
- The median home value in Iron County is $96k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Iron County?
- Median household income in Iron County is $52k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Iron County?
- Median gross rent in Iron County is $627 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Iron County safe?
- Iron County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 573/100k (better than 65%). Property crime is 317/100k.
- What is the weather like in Iron County?
- Iron County averages 67°F in July and 15°F in January, with 30.8 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Iron County?
- Public-school quality in Iron County is below average, scoring better than 20% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Iron County?
- The average one-way commute in Iron County is 21 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)