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Ottawa County

#2 in Best Counties to Buy a House in Michigan
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • County in Michigan
  • 16 reviews
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A
    2. Crime & Safety
      B-
    3. Housing
      A-
    4. Nightlife
      A-
    5. Good for Families
      A+
    6. Diversity
      B
    7. Jobs
      A
    8. Weather
      D+
    9. Cost of Living
      B+
    10. Health & Fitness
      A
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      A-
    View Full Report Card
    Ottawa County is located in Michigan with a population of 280,243. Ottawa County is one of the best places to live in Michigan. In Ottawa County, most residents own their homes. In Ottawa County there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Ottawa County and residents tend to be conservative. The public schools in Ottawa County are highly rated.
    Population
    280,243

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $168,000
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $854
    National
    $949
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      23%
    • Own
      77%
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    Ottawa County Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      167.3
      282.7
    • Murder
      2
      6.1
    • Rape
      111.5
      40.7
    • Robbery
      17.9
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      344.5
      500.1
    • Theft
      1,716.8
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      81.7
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      13%
    • 10-17 years
      12%
    • 18-24 years
      14%
    • 25-34 years
      12%
    • 35-44 years
      12%
    • 45-54 years
      13%
    • 55-64 years
      12%
    • 65+ years
      14%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      11%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      22%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      31%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      29%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      8%
      13%

    Working in Ottawa County

    Jobs
    A
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $63,962
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Ottawa County
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

      Ottawa County Reviews

      16 reviews
      All Categories
      There are many mom and pop shops in the local area, and many of them are artistically pleasing to visitors from all over the US. Every year there is a festival and all the college students from the area treat themselves to great entertainment and beautiful views on the beach. I would like to see bigger name branded stores in the area, especially for how busy the downtown area can get during the warm seasons. All year long there are job openings and the cost of living is just outstanding from any place i have ever lived. The schools here are very up to date and allows parents to flexibly get involved with their children's learning. Overall, it is an amazingly peaceful place to live.
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      Ottawa County is one of the most agricultural counties in Michigan. It's not too busy but there's a great mix of farms and cities. There's a lot of things to do outdoors like hiking and biking on trails, we're right by Lake Michigan so you can go swimming in the summer and go see the frozen lake in the winter. There's a lot of great things to do and it's a great community to live in.
      We have the Berlin Raceway in Marne, close to GVSU Allendale and Grand Rapids campus's. The schools are great for the children and the neighborhood's are great as well.