Iron City, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Iron City · Seminole County, Georgia
Population 390 (est. 2026: ~300)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -4.87% annual growth projection

Iron City, Georgia

Seminole County, Georgia · Population 312

Iron City sits in the far southwest corner of Georgia, roughly 10 miles west of Donalsonville, the Seminole County seat, and about 30 miles north of the Florida state line. The Chattahoochee River forms the county's western boundary not far from town. This is deep rural Georgia — flat, agricultural land where peanuts, cotton, and timber define the landscape. With 312 residents, Iron City is one of the smallest incorporated places in the state, a tight community where nearly every institution is shared with the county rather than operated by the town alone.

People & Demographics

The 2022 ACS counts 322 people in Iron City across 143 households, with an average household size of 2.25. The median age is 50.4, which is notably older than the Georgia state median and reflects a pattern common in small agricultural towns where younger residents leave for larger labor markets. The racial breakdown is predominantly white (310), with 4 Black residents, 1 Asian resident, and 14 people identifying as Hispanic or Latino.

Children under 18 number 48, representing about 15 percent of the population. Family households total 74 out of 143 occupied units. Seminole County overall holds 9,147 people, so Iron City accounts for a small but distinct slice of that rural fabric.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 103 people, with 6 unemployed — a low raw number, though in a town this size every percentage point represents a handful of families. Of 85 workers counted in commuting data, most drive to jobs outside town.

Median household income is $40,568, which falls well below the Georgia state median. Per capita income is $22,576. Sixty-one residents fall below the federal poverty line — roughly 19 percent of the population, a rate that reflects the broader economic strain running through rural southwest Georgia. The agricultural economy that surrounds Iron City generates seasonal and low-wage work, and Donalsonville serves as the primary commercial hub for most daily needs.

Housing

Iron City has 172 total housing units. Of those, 143 are occupied and 29 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 17 percent, which is high but not unusual for a town this size. Owner-occupied units dominate sharply: 126 versus just 17 renter-occupied units. That 88 percent ownership rate among occupied housing is among the highest ratios anywhere in the state.

Median home value is $94,400, a fraction of Georgia's statewide median and well within reach at the local income level. Median rent of $664 per month is also below state norms. Housing here is affordable in absolute terms; the challenge is income, not price.

The municipal code is published through Municode at library.municode.com/ga/iron-city-town-georgia. Iron City has no local building code on record.

Schools

Students in Iron City attend Seminole County schools, with no separate municipal system. The county runs two campuses:

Both campuses consolidate the entire county's public school population under one roof per level, a common structure in rural Georgia counties where population can't support multiple buildings. Donalsonville is the nearest town with any additional educational resources.

Getting Around

Of 85 workers, 66 drive alone to work, 11 carpool, and 7 work from home. One person walks. Zero use public transit — there is none. Iron City is car-dependent by every measure. Aggregate travel time for all workers comes to 1,920 minutes, averaging roughly 22–23 minutes per commute each way. Most employment destinations are in Donalsonville or further toward Bainbridge (Decatur County) to the north.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital is Donalsonville Hospital Inc. in Donalsonville, approximately 10 miles east. For a town of 312, having a critical access hospital within 10 miles is a meaningful asset in this part of rural Georgia, where the next-nearest facilities are considerably further. For a full list of licensed providers with an Iron City address, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov.

Library

The Seminole County Public Library is located 1.4 miles from Iron City and serves the entire county. Phone: (229) 524-2665. For a town without its own branch, proximity to the county library matters — and 1.4 miles is effectively walkable for some and a short drive for everyone else.

Natural Hazards

Seminole County has been under a FEMA disaster declaration twelve times since 1977, a record that maps directly to southwest Georgia's exposure to Gulf storms, inland flooding, and severe weather:

The frequency is not a statistical anomaly — this corner of Georgia sits in the direct path of storms tracking northeast from the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Michael in particular caused severe tree and infrastructure damage across Seminole County. Anyone buying property or setting agricultural plans here should treat storm preparation as routine, not optional.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions are available through the National Weather Service at forecast.weather.gov. Active alerts can be monitored at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official weather station is Donalsonville 1 S, located 0.1 miles from Iron City.

Government & Municipal Code

Iron City operates as an incorporated town under Seminole County governance for most services. The town's municipal code is maintained and published by Municode: library.municode.com/ga/iron-city-town-georgia. No local building code is currently on file.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)