Population 1,239 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Iron
Household size in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Iron is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.2 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Iron skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.4, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Iron: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Iron
Renters in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Iron is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 6.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 53.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.2% of the housing in Iron, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Iron leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across Minnesota.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $565 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $669 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $944 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,043 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$478 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Iron pays $1,043 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 20.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Iron
Bachelor's degrees in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.1% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Iron have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.0%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.5% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Iron: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Iron
| Period | Iron | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Iron runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Iron compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.34 | 48.2 | 4.3% | 6.2% | 15.2% | 1975 | $1,043 | 19.0% | 97.8% | 4.0% |
| Iron Junction | 2.31 | 49.4 | 3.3% | 4.5% | 15.5% | 1974 | $1,276 | 19.3% | 98.7% | 3.8% |
| Leonidas | 2.18 | 47.6 | 13.9% | 16.5% | 10.4% | 1961 | $913 | 27.0% | 91.3% | 3.9% |
| Eveleth | 2.14 | 43.9 | 8.7% | 24.0% | 17.0% | 1954 | $1,016 | 24.4% | 94.9% | 4.2% |
| Forbes | 2.61 | 47.1 | 3.6% | 2.4% | 22.2% | 1976 | $675 | 16.5% | 96.4% | 5.9% |
| Wilpen | 2.23 | 53.0 | 5.1% | 5.7% | 8.0% | 1975 | $679 | 24.2% | 93.9% | 6.1% |
| Zim | 2.59 | 46.0 | 3.3% | 2.8% | 25.9% | 1976 | $722 | 19.0% | 96.7% | 5.9% |
| Mountain Iron | 2.15 | 47.5 | 9.4% | 26.3% | 11.4% | 1973 | $829 | 23.1% | 95.2% | 3.1% |
| Genoa | 2.30 | 47.6 | 3.6% | 4.0% | 16.7% | 1964 | $1,111 | 26.2% | 98.6% | 2.8% |
| Buhl | 2.10 | 47.4 | 8.6% | 22.2% | 12.9% | 1961 | $1,056 | 20.5% | 93.0% | 4.0% |
| Parkville | 1.98 | 50.6 | 11.9% | 49.4% | 27.9% | 1969 | $645 | 17.7% | 97.6% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Annapolis Junction, MD · Pernell, OK · Newellton, LA · Newington, GA · North Fairfield, OH · Nye, WI · Ontario, WI · Oregon House, CA · Outland, SC · Paducah, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Iron. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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