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CITY

Ontonagon

Michigan · 1,264 residents (2025 est.) · 3.69 sq mi
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The short version

Ontonagon is a city of 1,355 people in Michigan. The median age is 59.5, about 21 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $105,200, having more than doubled since 2000. Median rent is $538 a month. The foreign-born share is 2%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 59.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
1,355
−23%since 2000
from 1,769 in 2000
1,264 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
367 / sq mi
−14%since 2009
from 426 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
59.5
+27%since 2000
from 46.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
3.69 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K1K2K2K2K19902000201020202024Ontonagon
20241K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.8%(38)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 91.8%(24)
US avg: 6%
10 to 140.2%(3)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.3%(72)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(93)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 348.4%(114)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 447.1%(96)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.7%(132)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6419.6%(266)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7418.4%(249)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8417.2%(233)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(35)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$50,164
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,300 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,630
+94%since 2000
from $16,293 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
30.6%
+17.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.385
−7%since 2010
from 0.415 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Finance & insurance14.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Information13%
US avg: 10.8%
Education & health services10.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Retail trade7.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$105,200
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$538
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $288 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
66.8%
−7.1 ptssince 2000
from 74.0% in 2000
33.2% rent
Vacancy rate
17.9%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
1.71 people
−11%since 2009
from 1.93 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
29.1%
−21.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.1
+3%since 2009
from 2.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
51
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.2%(1,719)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(15)
Asian0.2%(4)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic90.8%(1,230)
Black2.2%(30)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(26)
Asian1%(14)
Other4.1%(55)
Diversity Score
22
+82%since 2009
from 12 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(14)
Puerto Rican0.9%(12)
Asian origin
Filipino0.7%(9)
Japanese0.3%(4)
Chinese0.1%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(2)
Ancestry
German30.3%(411)
Finnish18.7%(254)
English15.1%(204)
Irish9.9%(134)
Swedish8.9%(120)
Polish6.9%(94)
Italian6.1%(82)
French5.2%(70)
American3.7%(50)
Russian3.5%(48)
Norwegian3%(41)
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data
Croatian1.5%(20)
Austrian1%(14)
Dutch1%(13)
Scottish0.7%(9)
Slovak0.2%(3)
Welsh0.2%(3)
Belgian0.1%(2)
Greek0.1%(2)
Hungarian0.1%(2)
Swiss0.1%(2)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Finnish population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Swedish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.7%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.0%
+10.2 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.7 min
+31%since 2000
from 12.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.3%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
2.5%
−8.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
16.3%
+14.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
8.7%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.7%
−7.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−9.9 ptssince 2011
from 13.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
41.5%
−8.6 ptssince 2011
from 50.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 65.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
21.9%
+7.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
25.0%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
Female
51.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
Foreign born
1.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.7%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
23.1%
+4.0 ptssince 2012
from 19.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2013
from 10.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.6%
+34.4 ptssince 2017
from 58.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.1%
+11.4 ptssince 2020
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
83.3%
−10.0 ptssince 2020
from 93.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31%(194)
Married54.5%(341)
Widowed2.9%(18)
Divorced11.7%(73)
Women 15+
Never married26.1%(173)
Married46.4%(308)
Widowed13.4%(89)
Divorced14.2%(94)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2013
from 10.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
45.5%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 42.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
27.8%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 29.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
43.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 42.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 22.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
9.0%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
63.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)12.6%(23)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.8%(27)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era48.9%(89)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.1%(2)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 182 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ontonagon, Michigan?

Ontonagon, Michigan has about 1,355 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ontonagon, Michigan?

The typical household in Ontonagon, Michigan earns about $50,164 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ontonagon, Michigan expensive?

In Ontonagon, Michigan, the median home is worth about $105,200, and the typical rent is about $538 a month.

How educated are people in Ontonagon, Michigan?

About 18.7% of adults age 25 and over in Ontonagon, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ontonagon, Michigan?

About 10.4% of people in Ontonagon, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ontonagon, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Ontonagon, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 685 residents, a change of about -34 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →