Distance from Major Cities

Milwaukee275 miles6.0 hours
Madison 235 miles 5.0 hours
Eau Claire 182 miles 3.5 hours
Green Bay 150 miles 3.5 hours
Wausau125 miles 2.5 hours
Duluth/Superior 90 miles 1.5 hours
Ashland45 miles 0.75 hours
Minneapolis/ St. Paul 195 miles 4.5 hours
Chicago370 miles 7.0 hours
Sault St. Marie 312 miles 6.0 hours

Ethnic Diversity

Iron County has a rich ethnic diversity. The Welsh and English brought their knowledge of mining and with them came Italians, Finns, Slavs, and Scandinavians to work the rich iron ore mines. Many came to log and stayed on to create farms and resorts from cut over lands. The result is a mosaic of ethnic heritage that can be seen in the area’s settlement patterns, customs, and unique culinary cuisine.

Population

Like many other counties, Iron County experienced a decline in population from 1980 to 1990. The County’s recent efforts in job creation have led to this stabilization of the population. With a land area of 2000 square miles, the average persons per square mile in 2010 is 7.8.

Iron County
Population
Iron
County
Greater Iron
County Area*
Wisconsin
2000 Population
% of state
6,861
.12
13,1545,363,675
2010 Population Estimate
% of state
6,805
NA
NANA
Ages:TotalIron County
Wisconsin
0-15 years1,15817.7%22.3%
16-24 years59410.0%14.5%
25-34 years48912.9%16.8%
35-44 years1,07513.0%14.8%
45-54 years97610.4%9.8%
55-64 years86011.6%8.5%
65 + years1,59124.4%13.3%

*Greater Iron County Area includes the neighboring city of Ironwood, MI