The Town FilesMastodon, Michigan
Township in Iron County · population 576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,000
- Household income
- $55,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 62.2
Mastodon is a township of 576 people in Iron County, Michigan. The median home is worth $124,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 95% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns.
How Mastodon ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mastodon is worth $124,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $55,625, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $425 a month. 94.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mastodon | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $425 | $955 |
| Median household income | $55,625 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 46.3% | — |
Who lives in Mastodon
| People | Mastodon | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.2 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 43.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 17.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 88.8% |
Weather in Mastodon
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 3.2°F. About 30.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mastodon since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1981 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 10, 2022.
Severe weather in Iron County since 1996
Iron County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 6, 2002 | Flood | DR-1413: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Iron County
Iron County had 3,410 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,921 a year. Unemployment was 5.6% in 2023; in Mastodon itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Mastodon
- Crystal Falls, MI5.1 mi · 1,598 people · home $83,300
- Florence, WI6.9 mi · 641 people · home $85,700
- Florence, WI8.2 mi · 2,096 people · home $196,200
- Sagola, MI13.2 mi · 1,066 people · home $163,600
- Crystal Falls, MI15.9 mi · 1,647 people · home $180,900
- Breitung, MI16.7 mi · 5,831 people · home $175,300
- Caspian, MI16.8 mi · 805 people · home $79,100
- Iron Mountain, MI17.2 mi · 7,518 people · home $141,600
Mastodon questions
Is Mastodon, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mastodon scores better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns and quieter than 95%. 43.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.2).
How much does a house cost in Mastodon?
The median owner-occupied home in Mastodon is valued at $124,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,625, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $425 a month.
What is the weather like in Mastodon?
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.4 inches of precipitation a year and 65.6 inches of snow.
Does Mastodon get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mastodon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1981. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)