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North Carolina›Lincoln County
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Iron StationNC

Today 934 people live in this town, first settled in 1867.

Population
934
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$405K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
43.4
years
Jobs based here
841
A job hub

Is Iron Station a good place to live?

91% of households live in a home they own in Iron Station, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 67% and U.S. towns at 73%. Iron Station has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

What makes Iron Station stand out

Where Iron Station beats most towns.

Jobs vs. working residents

Jobs here841
Residents who work392
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Small town

934 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Lincolnton · 5 miHigh Shoals · 5 miStanley · 8 miDallas · 10 miMaiden · 11 miRanlo · 11 mi
Getting set up

Moving to Iron Station: who provides what

Iron Station is unincorporated, so Lincoln County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerRutherford Elec Member13.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLincoln County WTP water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLincoln CountyLincoln County provides services here
SchoolsLincoln County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereLincoln County Board of ElectionsLincoln County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code2808028080 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Iron Station.

Work & commute

Iron Station has 2.1 jobs for every working resident, and 835 people commute in

Jobs in Iron Station grew by 107 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 841. Most working residents leave Iron Station for work: only 2% work in town. Its mean commuting time stands at 28 minutes. The top destinations are Charlotte (27%), Gastonia (6%) and Lincolnton (5%).

2%work in town
Iron StationNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line17%13%9.6%
Average trip to work28 minutes24 minutes25 minutes
Working residents who work in town1.5%6.8%8%

Where working residents work

In Iron Station2%
Charlotte27%
Gastonia6%
Lincolnton5%
Huntersville3%
19 mi
median commute distance
841
jobs based in Iron Station
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Full pageIron Station’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here841 jobs based here · A job hubWhere people work2% work in Iron StationCommute times28 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 19 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Schools

The schools Iron Station’s kids attend

The Lincoln County Schools runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Iron Station’s only public school teaches 367 students.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Iron Station ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5367B+
Full pageIron Station’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsLincoln County SchoolsEvery school1 school · Iron Station ElementaryQuestions“Are Iron Station’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts

$405KZillow home value

Typical home value

Iron Station$405K
North Carolina$332K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Full pageIron Station’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsUp 0.9% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 5.3 years of incomeRentsRents

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Climate

Four seasons and hot summers in Iron Station

Its peak summer temperature stands at 89°F.

6″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter32–53°
Spring47–71°
Summer66–87°
Fall49–72°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 9
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageIron Station’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 30°Rain & snow6″ of snow a winter · 46 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Iron Station has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Iron Station, 65% come from inland flooding and 13% from tornadoes. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2024.

38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
38Low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2020
1
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageIron Station’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesLow riskFlood claims1 paid flood claims · Since 2020Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Iron StationGet ready0.9 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Health

How healthy Iron Station is

In Iron Station, 15% of adults smoke cigarettes. Among adults locally, 39% have high blood pressure and 15% binge drink.

Iron StationNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)27%25%23%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)39%38%35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)15%15%16%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)15%14%14%
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better30 too close to call2 worse
What stands outIron StationNC
More adults who have had cancer9.4%7.9%
More adults with arthritis30.7%26.9%
Atrium Health Lincoln
3.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
Full pageIron Station’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby3.5 miles to an ER · Atrium Health LincolnHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than NC on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Iron Station

16pages on Iron Station
The big questions
Schools1 schoolHealthBetter than NC on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of living$405K typical home · up 0.9% in a yearWork & commute$77K median household income · 841 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 38% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
PlacesAttractions36 nearby · Lake Norman 13 miLibraryCharles R. Jonas LibraryCollegesGaston College is 10 mi away
The story
HistorySettled 1867Climate89° summer highs · 6″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Iron Station

Gaston CollegeCommunity college · Public · Dallas10 mi$3,186 in-state tuitionBelmont Abbey CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Belmont14.8 mi$19,500 tuition

About 7 of every 100 Iron Station residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A job hub

Every workday, about 835 people come to Iron Station for work

Where Iron Station’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

27% → Charlotte Charlotte 27% 6% → Gastonia Gastonia 6% 5% → Lincolnton Lincolnton 5% 3% → Huntersville Huntersville 3% 3% → Hickory Hickory 3% 2% → Lowesville Lowesville 2% Iron Station · 2% stay
841jobs based in Iron Station
2%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about Iron Station

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Iron Station, NC a good place to live?

Iron Station has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.