Oceana County ( / ˌ oʊ ʃ i ˈ æ n ə / OH -shee- AN -ə ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the 2020 Census, the population was 26,659. Hart is the county seat and the largest town in the county. Oceana County is located in the West Michigan area of the Lower Peninsula in Michigan. The county has a shoreline along Lake Michigan, which helps agriculture and tourism thrive in the area. It is also known as the "Asparagus Capital of the World" and hosts the National Asparagus Festival in Hart.

History

Before European Americans settled in the area, Oceana County was part of the land where the Ojibwe people lived. Early European settlers were drawn to the White River, which flows into Lake Michigan near Muskegon County to the south.

The State of Michigan established Oceana County on April 1, 1840. The county was officially organized in 1855. The source of the county’s name is unknown, but two possibilities exist: it may have been named for Lake Michigan, called the "ocean" because of its size, which borders the county to the west; or for the book Oceana, written by English author James Harrington in 1656.

In the 1850s, about 1,400 Odawa people were moved to Oceana County from Ionia County, Michigan, by the federal government.

The county’s economy first relied on the lumber industry, as logs were floated down the river. Later, agriculture became important. In the 21st century, Oceana County is known for growing asparagus, a major crop. It is called the "Asparagus Capital of the World" because it produces a large amount of asparagus. The annual Asparagus Festival includes a parade and the crowning of the Asparagus Queen.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the county covers an area of 1,306 square miles (3,380 km²), with 512 square miles (1,330 km²) being land and 794 square miles (2,060 km²) (61%) being water. The county is part of West Michigan. Its western border is formed by Lake Michigan.

• Mason County is to the north.
• Lake County is to the northeast.
• Newaygo County is to the east.
• Muskegon County is to the south.

• Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, is to the southwest.
• Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, is to the west.

• Manistee National Forest (a portion of it) is located in the area.

• US 31 is a north-south highway in the western part of Oceana County. It travels through Rothbury, New Era, Shelby, Mears, Hart, and Pentwater.
• Bus. US 31 is a short road that serves downtown Hart.
• M-20 is an east-west highway in the southern part of the county. It begins at US 31 near New Era and continues east toward Hesperia, where it enters Newaygo County.
• M-120 is a north-south highway that starts at the point where Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana counties meet and travels north to meet M-20 at Hesperia.

• B-15 is a north-south road managed by the county that runs along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It enters the county from the south, passes through Stony Lake and the Silver Lake area, and ends at Pentwater.

Demographics

This rural county had the highest number of people in the year 2000. It has attracted Hispanic or Latino immigrants who mostly work in farming; in 2010, nearly 14% of the population was Hispanic.

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 26,659. The average age was 43.9 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 102.4 males aged 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 83.5% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 6.3% from some other race, and 8.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 15.4% of the population.

Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,320 households in the county, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.3% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 15,538 housing units, of which 33.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.5% were owner-occupied, and 18.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%, and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.

The 2010 United States census indicates Oceana County had a 2010 population of 26,570. This decrease of 303 people from the 2000 United States census represents a 1.1% population decrease in the decade. There were 10,174 households and 7,239 families in the county. The population density was 51.9 per square mile (20.0 square kilometers). There were 15,944 housing units at an average density of 31.1 per square mile (12.0 square kilometers). The racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 83.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 13.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

Of those households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were husband and wife families, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.8% were non-families, and 24.6% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $39,043, and the median income for a family was $46,816. Males had a median income of $21,774, versus $14,186 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,065. About 1.9% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

• Oceana County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.
• Oceana County is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan.
• Several Christian denominations are represented in the county population.
• There is one meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oceana County as of 2018.

Tourism

The Electric Forest Festival, which was previously called the Rothbury Music Festival, has been held every year in Rothbury, Michigan since 2008. The festival was not held in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Camping is a common activity during the summer in Oceana County. Popular places for visitors include Silver Lake, Pentwater, and Stony Lake, which are located along the lakeshore.

Government

Oceana County has mostly voted for the Republican Party over many years. Since 1884, voters in the county have chosen the Republican candidate in 83% of the national elections (30 out of 36) through 2024.

Oceana County is responsible for operating the county jail, maintaining rural roads, managing local courts, keeping records of property transactions, important life events, and other documents, enforcing public health rules, and helping provide social services with the state. The county board of commissioners manages the budget and can create some laws or rules, but not many. In Michigan, most tasks like police and fire services, building and zoning rules, tax assessments, and street maintenance are handled by cities and townships.

(information as of May 2021)

Education

The West Shore Educational Service District, located in Ludington, serves school districts in Oceana County, as well as those in Mason and Lake counties. This regional school district provides special education, general education, and career and technical education programs for students in its area.

Oceana County is served by these regular public school districts:

• Hart Public School District
• Pentwater Public School District
• Shelby Public Schools
• Walkerville Public Schools

Oceana County has these private schools:

• New Era Christian School
• Oceana Christian School (Baptist)

Communities

• Hart (county seat)
• Hesperia (partially)
• New Era
• Pentwater
• Rothbury
• Shelby
• Walkerville
• Mears