States › Michigan › Iron County
Iron County
Residents 11,709Deaths 2024 6Deaths 2015–2024 20Latest data year 2024
FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.
In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Iron County (Michigan) had 4 fatal crashes with 6 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 17 fatal crashes and 20 deaths.
With 11,709 residents, that is 17.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 67% higher than the Michigan rate of 10.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.
The ten-year death toll fell 5% from 21 in 2005–2014 to 20 in 2015–2024.
Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 41.2% against 28.1% for Michigan.
35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Wednesday was the most common day (35%).
Trend since 1975
Ten-year total down 5% (21 in 2005–2014, 20 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.
Compared with Michigan and the nation
| Measure | Iron | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024 | 17.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 51.2 | 10.8 | 11.5 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 20 | 10,567 | 389,190 |
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 17 | 9,800 | 358,460 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Change vs previous ten years | -5% | +8% | +7% |
| Crashes on rural roads | 100% | 41% | 43% |
Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 11,709 in 2024.
Factors
"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.
Time of day and day of week
| 12am | 3am | 6am | 9am | 12pm | 3pm | 6pm | 9pm | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sat |
Fatal crashes in Iron County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 17 crashes with a known hour and weekday.
By weekday
Light condition
Road type
FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Michigan share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.
Weather
Routes with the most fatal crashes in Iron
| # | Route | Type | In county | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Alcohol | Speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US Route 2 | US highway | 4 | 48 | 58 | 17% | 19% |
Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.
By year, 2015–2024
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Drinking-driver crashes | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 6 | 1–2 | 51.2 | MI 2024 |
| 2023 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | MI 2023 |
| 2022 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | MI 2022 |
| 2021 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | MI 2021 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | 1–2 | 25.6 | MI 2020 |
| 2019 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | MI 2019 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | MI 2018 |
| 2017 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | MI 2017 |
| 2016 | 3 | 4 | 1–2 | 34.2 | MI 2016 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | MI 2015 |
Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.
Questions and answers
How many people died in crashes in Iron County, Michigan?
6 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 14 over 2020–2024 and 20 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
How does Iron compare with Michigan?
17.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.5 for Michigan and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.
What share of fatal crashes in Iron involved alcohol?
41.2% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 28.1% in Michigan. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 41.2%.
Which roads in Iron see the most fatal crashes?
Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 2 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).
When do fatal crashes happen in Iron?
Most often between 6pm to midnight (35% of crashes) and on Wednesdays (35%); 41.2% happened after dark.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.