Ottawa County, Michigan

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,631 square miles (4,220 km²), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km²) is land and 1,068 square miles (2,770 km²) (65%) is water.

Bodies of water

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 263,801 people residing in the county. 90.1% were White, 2.6% Asian, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.4% of some other race and 2.0% of two or more races. 8.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 31.0% were of Dutch, 14.2% German, 5.8% English and 5.7% Irish ancestry.

As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile (163/km²). There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile (59/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.52% White, 1.05% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.48% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 7.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.3% reported being of Dutch, 14.6% German, 6.2% English, 5.6% Irish and 5.4% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.5% spoke only English at home; 5.4% spoke Spanish.

There were 81,662 households out of which 39.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.60% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 19.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.25.

The county has numerous seasonal residents during the summer. Port Sheldon Township has many lakefront homes and other inland retreats that serve as summer getaways for residents of Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Chicago. No official statistics are compiled on seasonal residents.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 11.90% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 20.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks Ottawa County Michigan's second-healthiest county, preceded only by the leisure-oriented Traverse City area.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,347, and the median income for a family was $59,896. Males had a median income of $42,180 versus $27,706 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,676. About 3.10% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.70% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The Christian Reformed Church in North America was the biggest Christian denomination in the county with 67 churches and 33,700 members, followed by the Reformed Church in America with 47 congregations and 33,300 members, and the Catholic Church with 11 churches and 24,700 members.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Elected officials

Politics

Ottawa County is a stronghold of the Republican Party. The last Democratic Party candidate to carry the county was George B. McClellan in 1864.

In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 83,330 votes in the county (61.03% of the total) to Democrat Barack Obama's 50,828 (37.23%), even as Obama carried the state of Michigan by a double-digit margin.

In 2004, Republican president George W. Bush received 92,048 votes in the county (71.55%) to Democrat John Kerry's 35,552 (27.64%).

In 2000, Bush received 78,703 votes (71.16%) to Democrat Al Gore's 29,600 (26.76%).

2008 election results are as follows: Republican Jack Hoogendyk received 59.08% of Ottawa County's vote in his failed bid against US Senator Carl Levin; Republican Representative Peter Hoekstra received 71.7% of the vote; Republican David Agema received 73.45% in the race for the 74th district; Republican Arlan B. Meekhof received 60.71% in his race for the 89th District; Republican Joseph Haveman received 71.92% in his race for the 90th District; and Holly Hughes received 61.55% in her failed bid against Mary Valentine for the 91st District. No Republican lost any race in the county, and Republicans ran unopposed in several local races. The county voted against stem-cell research, but narrowly favored the legalization of medical marijuana and voted to allow the sales of beer and liquor on Sundays.

In 2012 Republican representative Bill Huizenga, Republican Senatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra, and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney all received over 60% of the county's vote.

Recently, elected representative Alan Vanderberg has signaled that the county is too white and needs to embrace diversity. He has said that Ottawa County is facing an “ugly challenge” with eliminating racism and discrimination.

Cities

Village

Census-designated places