Ottawa County (pronounced OH-tuh-wuh) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 296,200. The county seat is Grand Haven. The county is named after the Ottawa Nation. It was established in 1831 and officially formed in 1837. Ottawa County is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and has a large Dutch American population.

Farmers in the area produce more than $726 million in agricultural products each year, making Ottawa County a major center for farming in the state.

History

Before European settlers arrived, the Potawatomi and Ottawa people lived in this area for many years. The Grand River was an important path for trading goods into the interior of Michigan. Much of what we know about Native American life in Ottawa County comes from digging up artifacts at places like the Battle Point Site.

The city's European-American history begins with French settlers. A trading post called Gabagouache was first built by Madeline La Framboise and her husband, Joseph.

The first person to live permanently in the county was William Montague Ferry, a Presbyterian minister. He moved to Grand Haven in 1834. Grand Haven grew quickly and became an important place for trade and travel. Ferry is often called the "father" of Ottawa County.

Dutch settlers arrived in the area in 1847, led by Albertus van Raalte. These settlers moved to the Holland area, which was already home to many Odawa (Ottawa) people and the Old Wing Mission. Within a few years, the new Dutch settlers replaced the Ottawa people and the Old Wing Mission.

Geography

According to the US 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.

• Allegan County – south
• Kent County – east
• Muskegon County – north

• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin – northwest
• Racine County, Wisconsin – southwest

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 296,200. The median age was 36.1 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 84.0% White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.7% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.0% from some other race, and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.9% of the population.

78.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 21.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 107,239 households in the county, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.0% were married-couple households, 15.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 114,318 housing units, of which 6.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.3% were owner-occupied, and 22.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%, and the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 263,801 people living 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 2000 United States census, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families in the county. The population density was 421 inhabitants 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. 91.5% spoke only English at home, and 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, 28.70% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.90% was from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 20.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.10% was 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 as 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

Government

Ottawa County manages the county jail, maintains rural roads, operates local courts, records important documents like deeds, mortgages, and vital records, manages public health rules, and works with the state to provide social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited power to create laws or rules. In Michigan, most local government tasks, such as police and fire services, building and zoning rules, tax assessments, and street maintenance, are handled by individual cities and townships.

Most county offices are located in the city of Grand Haven or at the Fillmore complex in Olive Township.

(Information correct as of January 2025) Since the late 1800s, Ottawa County has supported the Republican Party.

As of 2023, the county board of commissioners, which includes most members from the group Ottawa Impact, has been called "far-right" by national and state media. After winning the 2022 elections, the board appointed John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official, as county administrator. In February 2024, the board voted 10–1 to remove Gibbs from his position because of specific reasons.

The board has 11 members, elected from different districts (1 Democrat, 10 Republicans).

(Information correct as of January 2025)

Starting in 2012, County Administrator Alan Vanderberg and the board introduced the "Four Cs" Initiative, which included "Cultural Intelligence." At that time, Vanderberg said the county faced discrimination that could harm its future success. In 2017, the county changed its slogan to "Where you belong," which Vanderberg said meant everyone is welcome in Ottawa County, regardless of race, background, identity, religion, or other factors.

In January 2023, the county board made several changes during their first meeting. The slogan was changed to "Where Freedom Rings," the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office was closed, the head health official was replaced, and a conservative legal group became the main legal representative. According to Fox 17, the conservative group supported the new board members and opposed required COVID-19 safety rules and cultural diversity policies. Concerns about instability in the county board led to worries that the county’s bond credit rating might drop from its AAA level, as reported by MLive. In May 2023, the board passed a resolution stating that Ottawa County is a "constitutional county."

Politics

Ottawa County has been the most Republican county in Michigan for many years and one of the most Republican in the United States. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county was George B. McClellan in 1864. In 1912, Republican president William Howard Taft lost the county to Theodore Roosevelt, a former Republican who ran as the candidate for the "Bull Moose Party."

Ottawa County is part of a region known as the "Bible Belt," which makes it strongly Republican even compared to other Republican areas in western Michigan. Since 1864, the county has often voted against Democratic presidential candidates, even during times when Democrats won many other states. Franklin Roosevelt, for example, did not win the county in any of his four presidential elections. In 1964, the county was one of only three in Michigan to vote for Barry Goldwater instead of Lyndon Johnson. Lyndon Johnson received 45% of the county's vote, the highest share ever for a Democrat in Ottawa County. In 1986, the county was the only one in Michigan not to support James Blanchard for a second term as governor. Historically, the city of Holland was the only place in the county where Democrats won the majority of votes, but Democrats have recently gained more support in Grand Haven. Ottawa County is also one of the few in Michigan that has shifted slightly toward the Democratic Party since 2016.

In 2008, Ottawa County was one of only two in Michigan where Barack Obama did not receive at least 40% of the vote. Obama's lowest vote share in the state was in Ottawa County, where John McCain won 60% of the vote, defeating Obama by 24 points. At the same time, Obama won the state overall by 16.5 points. In 2024, Kamala Harris received the highest vote share of any Democratic presidential candidate in Ottawa County since 1964, but she still lost the county by 20 points. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, county officials and their families faced death threats after mask mandates were introduced in public schools. Conservative groups influenced the 2022 Michigan elections to "preserve local heritage," and a new county government with Christian nationalist values was elected in that year.

One of the most important politicians in Ottawa County's history was Thomas W. Ferry from Grand Haven. At age 21, Ferry became the Ottawa County Clerk. He later served in the Michigan House of Representatives, the Michigan Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. While in the U.S. Senate, Ferry held the position of President Pro Tempore during the 44th and 45th Congresses. After Vice President Henry Wilson died on November 22, 1875, Ferry became the next in line for the presidency and remained in that position until March 4, 1877.

Communities

• Coopersville
• Ferrysburg
• Grand Haven (county seat)
• Holland (partial)
• Hudsonville
• Zeeland

• Spring Lake

• Allendale
• Beechwood
• Jenison
• Lamont
• Nunica