Iron County, Wisconsin

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 919 sqmi, of which 758 sqmi is land and 161 sqmi (18%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Vilas County - east, southeast
• Price County - southwest
• Ashland County - west
• Gogebic County, Michigan - northeast

Major highways

• [[Image:US 2.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 2
• [[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 51
• [[Image:WIS 47.svg|20px]] Highway 47 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 77.svg|20px]] Highway 77 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 122.svg|20px]] Highway 122 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 169.svg|20px]] Highway 169 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 182.svg|20px]] Highway 182 (Wisconsin)

County Highways

Railroads

• Watco

Buses

Airport

• KIWD - Gogebic-Iron County Airport – Commercial air service is available.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,137, which resulted in a population density of 8.1 /mi2. There were 5,523 housing units at an average density of 7.3 /mi2.

There were 3,035 households in the county, of which 16.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.1% were married-couple households, 25.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Among occupied housing units, 81.1% were owner-occupied and 18.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.2%.

The median age was 56.4 years. 14.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 31.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.6 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian,

32.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 67.2% lived in rural areas.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 5,916 people living in the county. 97.9% were White, 0.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.2% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 0.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 22.9% were of German, 13.7% Italian, 12.6% Finnish, 8.2% Polish, 6.6% American and 5.4% Irish ancestry.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,861 people, 3,083 households, and 1,960 families living in the county. The population density was 9 /mi2. There were 5,706 housing units at an average density of 8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.28% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.9% were of German, 18.6% Italian, 15.2% Finnish, 9.3% Polish and 6.4% Irish ancestry. 97.1% spoke English as their first language.

There were 3,083 households, out of which 22.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.40% were non-families. 32.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.40% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 23.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

In 2017, there were 34 births, giving a general fertility rate of 46.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 2nd lowest rate out of 72 Wisconsin counties. 13 of the births were to unmarried mothers, 21 were to married mothers. Additionally, there were no reported induced abortions performed on women of Iron County residence in 2017.

Communities

Cities

• Hurley (county seat)
• Montreal

Towns

• Anderson
• Carey
• Gurney
• Kimball
• Knight
• Mercer
• Oma
• Pence
• Saxon
• Sherman

Census-designated places

• Iron Belt
• Mercer
• Pence
• Saxon

Unincorporated communities

• Carter
• Cedar
• Germania
• Gurney
• Hoyt
• Kimball
• Manitowish
• Pine Lake
• Orva
• Powell
• Rouse
• Springstead
• Tyler Forks
• Upson
• Van Buskirk

Historical sites

The National Register of Historic Places lists the following historic sites in Iron County:

Politics

From 1928 to 1996, Iron County voted Democratic in presidential elections, the only exception being Richard Nixon's landslide in 1972. In 2000, George W. Bush became only the second Republican since 1920 to carry Iron County despite narrowly losing the national popular vote, and the county remained a competitive county for the next three elections, narrowly voting for Kerry in 2004 and for Romney in 2012. Recent elections have seen the county trend solidly Republican however; in 2016, Trump won the county with 59.2% (the first time a Republican had won an outright majority in the county since 1920), and in 2020, he increased his vote share to 60.8%, and further expanding it to 62.6% (a difference of 1,070 votes) in 2024.

References

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
2. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
3. (June 16, 1932). "Here's How Iron Got Its Name". The Rhinelander Daily News.
4. "County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps". USDA.
5. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. "2020 Decennial Census: Iron County, Wisconsin". U.S. Census Bureau.
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
15. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
16. ""American FactFinder"".
17. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
18. "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables".
19. [https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p45360-17.pdf Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin], Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18
20. (January 1, 2012). "STH 77 {{!}} National or State Registers Record".
21. (April 17, 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet".
22. (January 1, 2012). "S of Hurley {{!}} National or State Registers Record".
23. American Association for State and Local History. United States. National Park Service, issuing body. National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.. "National Register of Historic Places, 1966-1994 : cumulative list through January 1, 1994.".
24. (January 1, 2012). "0.25 mi. W of jct. of Plummer Mine Rd. and STH 77 {{!}} National or State Registers Record".
25. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".