CSX 1, 2007
Iron Gate’s story
145 years in pictures
Census counts: 199 in 1890, a peak of 777 in 1930, 324 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1945 on.
- 1881Iron Gate is settled
Iron GateVA
A town of 305, settled in 1881.
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
305
2025 Census estimate · −5% since 2020
Median home value
$85K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
39.8
years
Jobs based here
33
A commuter town
Is Iron Gate a good place to live?
Among 254 Virginia towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Iron Gate. Iron Gate has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
305 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Iron Gate: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Iron Gate, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Iron Gate water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Iron Gate’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAllegheny General RegistrarAlleghany County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes24448, 2442224448 96% · 24422 4%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Iron Gate.
Natural hazards
Compared with most of Virginia and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in Iron Gate is higher
At 79 of 100, Iron Gate’s FEMA risk score is above both Virginia’s towns (22 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). One flood insurance claim has been paid in Iron Gate since 1996.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 1996
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Iron Gate’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Iron Gate for work: only 0% work in town. Jobs based in Iron Gate grew to 33 in 2023, 27 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Covington (14%), Clifton Forge (6%) and Selma (6%).
0%work in town
| Iron Gate | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Iron Gate0%
Covington14%
Clifton Forge6%
Selma6%
Lexington4%
19 mi
median commute distance
33
jobs based in Iron Gate
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Iron Gate, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Iron Gate has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 25° and about 10 inches of snow falls in a winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–47°
Spring42–68°
Summer62–85°
Fall45–68°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Iron Gate is
Iron Gate beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 44% of Iron Gate adults have high blood pressure, above both the Virginia town median (33%) and the median of U.S. towns (35%). 16% of adults have diabetes in Iron Gate.
| Iron Gate | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Iron Gate | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.6% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.2% | 6.2% |
Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany
8.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Iron Gate
16pages on Iron Gate
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Iron Gate
About 2 of every 100 Iron Gate residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Iron Gate for work
Where Iron Gate’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
33jobs based in Iron Gate
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Iron Gate
Town in Virginia, United States
Iron Gate is a town in eastern Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. The population was 324 at the 2020 census. The town is located along U.S. Route 220, near Clifton Forge.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,037 ft
- ZIP code
- 24448
- Area code
- 540
Questions about Iron Gate
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Iron Gate, VA a good place to live?
Iron Gate has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.