The Town FilesMountain Iron, Minnesota
City in St. Louis County · population 2,878 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $192,800
- Household income
- $83,293
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 47.5
Mountain Iron is a city of 2,878 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $192,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 82% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How Mountain Iron ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mountain Iron is worth $192,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $83,293, which is more affordable than 89% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mountain Iron | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $192,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $918 | $991 |
| Median household income | $83,293 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mountain Iron
| People | Mountain Iron | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 11.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Mountain Iron
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows -1.5°F. About 27.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 189 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Iron since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 6, 1969 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 1971.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 26, 1958.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5583: Munger Shaw Fire |
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 95,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,452 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Mountain Iron itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Mountain Iron
4 public schools with 740 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERRITT ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 332 | 12.8 |
| MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL SECONDARY | 7-12 | 259 | 17.3 |
| EAST RANGE ACADEMY OF TECH-SCIENCE (charter) | 9-12 | 149 | 16.6 |
| NORTHEAST SERVICE COOPERATIVE OLL | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Mountain Iron
- Virginia, MN4.7 mi · 8,421 people · home $120,600
- Eveleth, MN5.3 mi · 3,493 people · home $97,600
- Chisholm, MN12.7 mi · 4,775 people · home $109,200
- White, MN17.2 mi · 3,136 people · home $123,600
- Hibbing, MN18.2 mi · 16,214 people · home $130,200
Mountain Iron questions
Is Mountain Iron, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mountain Iron scores better for retirees than 72% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 82%. 26.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Mountain Iron?
The median owner-occupied home in Mountain Iron is valued at $192,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,293, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Mountain Iron?
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows -1.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.6 inches of precipitation a year and 68.7 inches of snow.
Does Mountain Iron get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Iron since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 6, 1969. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)