Ottawa County, Michigan
Among the top 4% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
- top 7% for airport distance
- top 8% for comfortable days
- bottom 4% for annual snowfall
Ottawa County is a county in Michigan with about 296,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, comfortable days, and broadband access. It rates lower on sunny days and annual snowfall.
Official websitemiottawa.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
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v.cold
67%19%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in2.7 in
humid 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 27% of US counties
Home Value$269k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 18% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.09%better than 33% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.78%better than 44% of US counties
Unemployment3.8%better than 69% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.5 in44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall78.0 inbetter than 4% of US counties
Sunny Days189 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 72% of US counties
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 92% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk82.9better than 17% of US counties
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 13% of US counties
School Quality79.1better than 82% of US counties
Violent Crime1162/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Property Crime812/100kbetter than 55% of US counties
Community
Population296,18393rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.811th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2546th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9940th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2232nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.6%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.6%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.2%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.6%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 76% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 67% of US counties
Airport Distance27 mibetter than 93% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.4%better than 90% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.30better than 27% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 71% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ottawa County an affordable place to live?
- Ottawa County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 27% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Ottawa County?
- The median home value in Ottawa County is $269k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Ottawa County?
- Median household income in Ottawa County is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Ottawa County?
- Median gross rent in Ottawa County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Ottawa County safe?
- Ottawa County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1162/100k (better than 27%). Property crime is 812/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ottawa County?
- Ottawa County averages 72°F in July and 26°F in January, with 40.5 in of annual precipitation and about 189 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ottawa County?
- Public-school quality in Ottawa County is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ottawa County?
- The average one-way commute in Ottawa County is 21 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)