Ottawa County, Michigan Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 7th-largest in Michigan

The population of Ottawa County, Michigan is 298,614 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 7th-largest county in Michigan. The median household income is $87,144, the median home value is $291,200, and the median age is 36.3.

The population of Ottawa County has grown 15.9% since 2010 (264,114 → 306,235), a +1.06% annualized rate.

Ottawa County within Michigan · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

298,614

Population

+1.06%

Annual growth

530

People / sq mi

$87,144

Median Income

$291,200

Median Home Value

Ottawa County covers 564 sq mi of land at 529.9 people per square mile.

About Ottawa County, MI

The poverty rate is what most separates Ottawa County from the typical county: 4.0% of residents live below the federal poverty line, against 12.4% nationally. With 298,614 residents, Ottawa County is a county in Michigan. It is the #7-largest of all counties in Michigan nationally.

Income is a real outlier — the median household pulls in $87,144, putting Ottawa County near the top of US counties. Hardship is rare relative to US counties: a poverty rate of just 4.0%, below the national 12.4%. Home values run above average at $291,200, with typical rent around $1,148.

College attainment is above the local norm at 37.5%, above the national 35.0%. Around 9.4% of workers work from home, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 20 minutes each way.

Ottawa County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Ottawa County had a population of 264,114 in 2010 and 306,235 in 2024, a 15.9% growth over 14 years. The peak was 306,235 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.06%.

Ottawa County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

306,235

Population (2024)

264,114

Population (2010)

306,235

Peak (2024)

1.06%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	264,114	-	-	estimate
2011	266,918	+2,804	+1.06%	estimate
2012	270,868	+3,950	+1.48%	estimate
2013	274,394	+3,526	+1.30%	estimate
2014	277,888	+3,494	+1.27%	estimate
2015	280,907	+3,019	+1.09%	estimate
2016	283,686	+2,779	+0.99%	estimate
2017	286,452	+2,766	+0.98%	estimate
2018	289,578	+3,126	+1.09%	estimate
2019	291,460	+1,882	+0.65%	estimate
2020	296,899	+5,439	+1.87%	estimate
2021	298,394	+1,495	+0.50%	estimate
2022	300,910	+2,516	+0.84%	estimate
2023	303,575	+2,665	+0.89%	estimate
2024	306,235	+2,660	+0.88%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	85.5%
Black or African American	1.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.2%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

36.3

Median Age

50.4%

Female

49.6%

Male

16.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.7%

5–9

6.7%

10–14

6.8%

15–19

8.4%

20–24

8.9%

25–34

12.2%

35–44

12.3%

45–54

11.0%

55–59

6.2%

60–64

5.8%

65–74

9.5%

75–84

4.6%

85+

2.1%

Children (under 15): 19.2% · Seniors (65+): 16.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$87,144+$15,995 vs state
Mean household income	$110,019
Per-capita income	$40,682
Poverty rate	4.0%-4.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.4%
Employment-to-population	65.2%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

23.3%

Manufacturing

23.2%

Finance & real estate

8.4%

Education & health care

8.1%

Construction

6.0%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.2%

Information

4.7%

Retail trade

3.6%

The largest employment sector in Ottawa County is professional & business services, accounting for 23.3% of workers.

How residents commute

0.5%

Drive alone

2.6%

Carpool

78.8%

Public transit

9.4%

Work from home

20.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$291,200+$73,600 vs state

Median home value

$1,148

Median rent

78.5%

Homeownership rate

116,173

Total housing units

94.7%

Occupied

5.3%

Vacant

21.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

96.8%

With health insurance

96.5%

With broadband internet

15.5%

Foreign-born

4.8%

Veterans (18+)

10.0%

With a disability

92.2%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

94.1%

High School+

37.5%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Michigan

Detroit (636,644)Grand Rapids (197,768)Warren (138,128)Sterling Heights (133,473)Ann Arbor (121,179)Lansing (112,546)Dearborn (107,846)Livonia (94,058)Troy (87,307)Westland (84,155)All Michigan cities →

Other counties in Michigan

Wayne County (1,773,767)Oakland County (1,272,294)Macomb County (877,624)Kent County (658,844)Genesee County (404,087)Washtenaw County (368,394)Ingham County (282,015)Kalamazoo County (261,437)Livingston County (195,143)Saginaw County (189,210)All Michigan counties →

Part of Michigan

Michigan demographic profile All Michigan data →

Metro areas in Michigan

Detroit (4,367,620)Grand Rapids (1,154,320)Lansing (470,434)Flint (404,087)Ann Arbor (368,394)South Bend (324,180)Kalamazoo (261,437)Saginaw (189,210)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Ottawa County, Michigan has a population of 298,614 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 7th-largest county in Michigan. Population density is 530 people per square mile.

The population of Ottawa County has grown 15.9% since 2010 (264,114 → 306,235), a +1.06% annualized rate.

The median household income in Ottawa County, Michigan is $87,144, with mean (average) household income of $110,019 and per-capita income of $40,682. 4.0% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Ottawa County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (85.5%), Black or African American (1.6%), Hispanic or Latino (1.2%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Ottawa County, Michigan is 36.3 years. Residents are 50.4% female and 49.6% male.

The median home value in Ottawa County is $291,200 and median monthly rent is $1,148. 78.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 116,173 total housing units, 5.3% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Ottawa County, Michigan is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 23.3% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.4%.

Detroit is among the largest cities associated with Ottawa County, Michigan, with a population of 636,644.