Ottawa County, Michigan
Located in Michigan, Ottawa County has a population of 301,203 residents and a median age of 36.5 years, making it the #240 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 8.3%. The median home value is $323,400, and the median household income is $90,502, which is 20% above the national median.
Demographics
Ottawa County has a population of 301,203, making it the #240 most populous county in the US. The median age is 36.5 years, which is 6.2% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ottawa County is $90,502, ranking #290 out of 3,222 counties — 20.4% above the national median. The poverty rate is 8.3% and unemployment stands at 3.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ottawa County is $323,400 (+14.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,211/mo and the homeownership rate is 79.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ottawa County, 38.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.5% above the national average, ranking #316 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ottawa County is 80.1 years. 12.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 4.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.8% of adults in Ottawa County smoke , 35.9% are obese , and 21.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 11.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Ottawa County is 1.3 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 10.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.7 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
7.5% of children in Ottawa County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 4.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 6.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ottawa County is 78.8%. The mean commute time is 22.3 min, which is 19.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ottawa County voted Republican with a margin of 20.5%. The vote was 39% Dem / 59.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +0.9 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ottawa County, Michigan
Ottawa County, Michigan has a total population of 301,203, making it the 240th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ottawa County is 36.5 years, which is 6.2% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ottawa County is $90,502, which ranks #290 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 20.4% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.3%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.5%.
The median home value in Ottawa County is $323,400, 14.7% above the national median. Renters in Ottawa County pay a median gross rent of $1,211 per month. The homeownership rate is 79.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ottawa County, 38.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 96.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.3 min.
Ottawa County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 81.7% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.3%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
All data for Ottawa County, Michigan comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.