Otsego County, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Otsego County, MI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 70% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,584 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 48.6 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.70% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.7 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,231 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Otsego County grew by 6.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 25,584 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Otsego County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.7% of residents. That is 2.2 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,633 18.1% -3.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,758 18.6% -2.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,812 22.7% +2.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,594 21.9% +3.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Michigan, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.4% of the people living in Otsego County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 49.6% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Otsego County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Otsego County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,296 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.78% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Otsego County is about 6% lower than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $773,809 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,008 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.2% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Otsego County is about 64.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,008 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Otsego County spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 135 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.2 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.4 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 135 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,190 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,603 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,101 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Michigan:
Luce County (11.4 min), Dickinson County (12.2 min), Schoolcraft County (12.5 min).
Slowest:
Lapeer County (31.3 min), Lake County (31.1 min), Livingston County (28.6 min).
The average commute time in Otsego County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Otsego County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.24 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.4), Oakland County (0.4), Leelanau County (0.4).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.2), Oscoda County (0.2), Kalkaska County (0.2).
Health
Otsego County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Otsego County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.4% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.2% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.8), Ottawa County (0.8), Livingston County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clare County (0.8), Oscoda County (0.8), Lake County (0.8).
Otsego County, MI Compared With Nearby Counties
How Otsego County, MI compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego County, MI | 25,584 | $68,296 #2/3 | $773,809 #1/3 | 16.2 min #1/3 |
| Cheboygan County, MI | 25,865 | $63,766 | $144,791 | 21.3 min |
| Antrim County, MI | 24,127 | $72,664 | $369,999 | 22.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Otsego County, Michigan.
What is the population of Otsego County, Michigan?
About 25,584 people live in Otsego County, Michigan, in 11,231 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 42.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Otsego County, Michigan urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Otsego County, Michigan has 49 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 56% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Otsego County, Michigan?
The median home costs 11.3 times the median household income ($773,809 against $68,296), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,008 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Otsego County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Otsego County, Michigan is only 4.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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