Ottawa County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in Michigan. That’s according to recent data from the United States Census Bureau.
Maintaining its place as the seventh largest county in the state, there were an estimated 300,873 people living the county last year, according to the U.S Census report for county population totals. The county increased its population by 2,556 people from 2021 to 2022.
Out of the ten biggest counties in the state, Ottawa saw the highest increase in population between 2020 and 2022 with a growth rate of 1.34%, outpacing two other counties including Livingston which saw a growth rate of 1.13% and Kent with 0.09%.
Meanwhile, the remaining seven counties saw a decrease in their growth rate.
The spike in population in Ottawa comes as the county faces an increased demand for housing and childcare. There is only one childcare spot for every two children in the county.
Ottawa County Research and Data Analyst Stephanie Oesch said of the more than 50 counties in the state that experienced growth from 2021 to 2022, Ottawa saw the largest uptick in its population.
“If you look at…where those numbers are growing from, like natural increase, so births versus deaths in the county, we’re one of only seven counties in the state who saw an increase from 2021 to 2022,” she said.
Oesch said Ottawa is also one of the few places in the state that saw more than a thousand people relocate into the county in that same year. She adds it’s unclear, for now however, whether movement is occurring from within the state, or from newcomers outside of Michigan.
“I think some of the reasons for [growth in Ottawa County] might be that we have low unemployment,” she said. “Looking at February numbers, we have the third lowest unemployment rate [in Michigan], we have a really great park system…we have a low millage rate, we have a good mix of industry,” Oesch said. Oesch said more data from the U.S. Census Bureau is expected later this year and will include specifics on where growth is occurring within the county.
