Population 4,864 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Iron River
Household size in Iron River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.10 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.01 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.03 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.16 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Iron River is a place of small households, averaging 2.16 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the north. Only 22 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.4 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.0 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 52.5 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.9 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.5 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Iron River skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.9, 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 dropped from 51.4, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 are older.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Iron River (10.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Michigan as a whole looks much the same. Compared with other Michigan cities, though, Iron River has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 River
Renters in Iron River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.8% of households in Iron River rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About six in ten owners (58.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.3% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Iron River: 33.6% of homes are empty, 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. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only five have a higher vacancy rate.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Iron River is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Iron River has older homes than the great majority of Michigan cities.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $471 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $491 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $545 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $693 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$222 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Iron River pays $693 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 28.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the southwest. Only three of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have lower rents.
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 River
Bachelor's degrees in Iron River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Iron River have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.9%, against 35.6% nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.6% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Iron River: 94.3% 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 River
| Period | Iron River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Iron River is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 River 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 River | 2.16 | 48.9 | 10.6% | 19.8% | 33.6% | 1958 | $693 | 22.9% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Caspian | 2.19 | 51.1 | 8.0% | 19.6% | 28.6% | 1964 | $739 | 21.2% | 92.7% | 3.1% |
| Stambaugh | 2.01 | 53.7 | 10.6% | 20.4% | 37.9% | 1959 | $572 | 26.0% | 92.6% | 7.6% |
| Mineral Hills | 1.96 | 53.8 | 8.2% | 19.5% | 31.6% | 1961 | $793 | 21.3% | 93.7% | 2.2% |
| Gaastra | 1.99 | 56.8 | 9.8% | 17.4% | 35.2% | 1968 | $674 | 23.8% | 90.8% | 4.4% |
| Scott Lake | 1.96 | 57.5 | 9.9% | 16.8% | 36.6% | 1969 | $670 | 24.4% | 90.5% | 4.5% |
| Beechwood | 2.03 | 55.2 | 2.3% | 7.0% | 54.2% | 1978 | $732 | 26.9% | 93.5% | 1.0% |
| Gibbs City | 1.58 | 65.2 | 1.5% | 2.7% | 66.7% | 1982 | $413 | 23.2% | 97.8% | 1.7% |
| Fortune Lake | 1.81 | 62.8 | 2.7% | 5.1% | 36.4% | 1976 | $917 | 26.5% | 95.4% | 8.1% |
| Pentoga | 2.13 | 61.1 | 13.1% | 10.9% | 43.7% | 1974 | $2,310 | 21.5% | 96.8% | 1.3% |
| Tipler | 2.28 | 51.0 | 12.7% | 13.3% | 52.2% | 1985 | $808 | 16.0% | 94.3% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Swanton, VT · Belvedere, SC · Bensley, VA · Ocean View, NJ · Paxton, IL · Aurora, NE · Auburn, PA · Auburn, NH · Auburn, MI · Auburn, KY
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 River. 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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