Iron County, Michigan

Iron County is one of two landlocked counties in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,631. The county seat is Crystal Falls.

History

Iron County was organized in 1885, with territory partitioned from Marquette and Menominee counties. In 1890, the county's population was 4,432. It was named for the valuable iron ore found within its borders.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (3.7%) is water. Along with its southeastern neighbor Dickinson County, it is one of only two landlocked counties in the Upper Peninsula.

Major highways

thumb|Entering Iron County on US 2 / US 141

– runs east–west through lower part of county. Enters west line at above SW corner, then runs east and southeast to Crystal Falls, where it turns south and runs into Wisconsin. Passes Mineral Hills, Iron River, and Fortune Lake.
– runs north–south through center of county. Enters north line of county from Covington in Baraga County, then runs south to intersection with US-2 at Crystal Falls.
– runs east from Crystal Falls into Dickinson County.
– enters south line of county from Nelma, Wisconsin, then runs northeast to intersection with US-2 at Iron River.
– enters south line of county from Tipler, Wisconsin, then runs north to intersection with US-2 at Iron River.

Adjacent counties

Houghton County (north)
Baraga County (north)
Marquette County (northeast)
Dickinson County (east)
Florence County, Wisconsin (southeast)
Forest County, Wisconsin (south)
Vilas County, Wisconsin (southwest)
Gogebic County (west)
Ontonagon County (northwest)

National protected area

Ottawa National Forest (part)

Communities

Cities

Caspian
Crystal Falls (county seat)
Gaastra
Iron River

Village

Alpha

Census-designated place

Amasa

Unincorporated communities

Beechwood
Colony Corners
Elmwood
Erickson Landing
Forbes

| align-fn = center

| footnote = US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018]]

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Iron County, Michigan – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|13,516

|12,974

|12,601

|11,370

|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,823

|99.13%

|98.47%

|95.91%

|96.22%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |93.05%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|144

|14

|style='background: #ffffe6; |24

|0.01%

|0.03%

|1.10%

|0.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|60

|98

|132

|97

|style='background: #ffffe6; |93

|0.44%

|0.74%

|1.00%

|0.82%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.80%

|Asian alone (NH)

|26

|29

|26

|32

|style='background: #ffffe6; |41

|0.19%

|0.22%

|0.20%

|0.27%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.35%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.00%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|Other race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |34

|0.07%

|0.02%

|0.05%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|144

|136

|style='background: #ffffe6; |410

|1.10%

|1.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.53%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|22

|67

|84

|161

|style='background: #ffffe6; |206

|0.16%

|0.51%

|0.64%

|1.36%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.77%

|Total

|13,635

|13,175

|13,138

|11,817

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11,631

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,631, a median age of 53.6 years, and 17.4% of residents under the age of 18 while 29.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older.

For every 100 females there were 101.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 103.7 males age 18 and over.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 5,521 households in the county, of which 18.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.2% were married-couple households, 25.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

In 2010, 97.1% of the population were White, 2.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.2% of some other race, and 1.4% of two or more races; 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Culturally, 14.3% were of German, 11.5% Finnish, 11.3% Italian, 8.6% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 8.0% Swedish, 6.5% English, 5.8% American and 5.4% Irish ancestry.

In 2010, there were 5,577 households, out of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.65.

Iron County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Education

West Iron County Schools
Forest Park School District

References

External links

Iron County website
Iron County Economic Chamber Alliance website
Iron County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
Hunt's Guide to the Iron Mountain area
Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region
Historic photographs of Iron County, via the Upper Peninsula Region of Library Cooperation