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COUNTY

Ontonagon County

Michigan · 5,823 residents (2025 est.) · 1,310.978 sq mi
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#10Oldest by median ageof 3,14459.8#54Highest homeownership rateof 3,14487.1%
The short version

Ontonagon County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $54,398. Population has fallen 25% since 2000, a loss of 1,968 residents. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $111,700. With a median age of 59.8, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 25% less than the Michigan median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 59.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
5,850
−25%since 2000
from 7,818 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
4 / sq mi
−15%since 2009
from 5 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
59.8
+30%since 2000
from 45.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:5,823 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
6K6K7K8K9K1990201020202024Ontonagon County
20246K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.6%(150)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 92.5%(147)
US avg: 6%
10 to 143.6%(212)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194%(233)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.6%(213)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 346.2%(361)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 448.3%(485)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.2%(655)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6419.8%(1,158)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7422.4%(1,309)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8413%(763)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(164)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,398
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,552 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,400
+106%since 2000
from $16,695 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
32.6%
+18.3 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.5%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.421
+3%since 2010
from 0.409 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing8.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Retail trade8%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance8%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Construction6.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services2.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing2%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$111,700
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$540
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $321 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
87.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 85.0% in 2000
12.9% rent
Vacancy rate
39.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 39.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
26.3%
−13.1 ptssince 2009
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.1
−6%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
28
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ontonagon County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.8%(7,567)
Black0%(2)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(58)
Asian0.2%(14)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic92.3%(5,402)
Black0.5%(30)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(105)
Asian0.4%(24)
Other4.9%(289)
Diversity Score
18
+73%since 2009
from 10 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
7
−48%since 2020
from 14 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.9%(52)
Puerto Rican0.5%(29)
Spaniard0.3%(15)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(11)
Korean0.1%(8)
Japanese0.1%(4)
Chinese0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Finnish25.2%(1,475)
German24.7%(1,446)
English11.9%(695)
Irish10.6%(621)
Polish6.8%(398)
Swedish6.1%(359)
French4.7%(275)
Norwegian4.1%(239)
Italian3.3%(193)
American3%(178)
Scottish1.8%(103)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Croatian1.3%(75)
Dutch1.2%(70)
Danish1.1%(63)
Russian0.9%(53)
Czech0.8%(47)
Swiss0.8%(44)
Austrian0.6%(35)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(32)
Belgian0.5%(29)
Hungarian0.4%(21)
Welsh0.3%(20)
Canadian0.2%(13)
Ukrainian0.2%(13)
Greek0.2%(12)
Serbian0.2%(12)
Slovak0.2%(11)
British0.1%(7)
Slovene0%(2)
Arab0%(1)
RANKED:Largest Finnish population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.4%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.5%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.5%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
68.1%
−9.2 ptssince 2009
from 77.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.7%
+9.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
6.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% 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
4.7%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.3%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 12.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
42.9%
−8.1 ptssince 2011
from 51.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
23.1%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.2%
−21.3 ptssince 2009
from 54.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Female
48.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.0%
−36.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.0%
+4.9 ptssince 2012
from 17.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.5%
−80.8 ptssince 2013
from 86.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.1%
+28.5 ptssince 2017
from 57.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 96.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.6%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 0.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24%(662)
Married57.3%(1,582)
Widowed4.2%(116)
Divorced14.5%(399)
Women 15+
Never married16.6%(429)
Married60.6%(1,564)
Widowed13.4%(346)
Divorced9.4%(243)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Ontonagon County to nearby counties

ONTONAGON COUNTY VS
Houghton County
Income$58,899+8%
Home value$159,900+43%
Population37,842+550%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ONTONAGON COUNTY VS
Gogebic County
Income$52,732−3%
Home value$107,200−4%
Population14,285+145%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ONTONAGON COUNTY VS
Baraga County
Income$55,327+2%
Home value$138,100+24%
Population8,169+40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ONTONAGON COUNTY VS
Vilas County
Income$68,431+26%
Home value$300,000+169%
Population23,761+308%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Ontonagon County, Michigan?

Ontonagon County, Michigan has about 5,850 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ontonagon County, Michigan?

The typical household in Ontonagon County, Michigan earns about $54,398 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ontonagon County, Michigan expensive?

In Ontonagon County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $111,700, and the typical rent is about $540 a month.

How educated are people in Ontonagon County, Michigan?

About 18.4% of adults age 25 and over in Ontonagon County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ontonagon County, Michigan?

About 12.5% of people in Ontonagon County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ontonagon County, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Ontonagon County, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,004 residents, a change of about -34 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

4 census tracts
Census Tract 9702Census Tract 9703Census Tract 9701Census Tract 9901
8 ZIP codes
ZIP 49953ZIP 49912ZIP 49948ZIP 49925ZIP 49971ZIP 49910ZIP 49960ZIP 49929
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →