Otsego County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Otsego County, Michigan, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Otsego County, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Otsego County, Michigan. The estimated population of Otsego County, Michigan is 25,016 people, with a median age of 44.6.

We can look at the total population in Otsego County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
25,016
+1.64%
+3.17%
2020
24,613
+0.5%
-
2019
24,490
+0.38%
-
2018
24,397
+0.62%
-
2017
24,247
 - -

Population of Otsego County, Michigan by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
94.2%
94.7%
 -0.53%
Black/African American
0.7%
0.4%
 +75.00%
Native
0.4%
0.5%
 -20.00%
Hispanic
1.8%
1.6%
 +12.50%
Asian
0.5%
0.5%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.4%
2.3%
 +4.35%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Otsego County, Michigan by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 44.6 -0.45% 43.4 +0.23% 45.6 -0.65%
2020 44.8 -0.22% 43.3 -0.92% 45.9 +0.66%
2019 44.9 +0.45% 43.7 -0.23% 45.6 +0.44%
2018 44.7 -0.45% 43.8 -0.9% 45.4 -0.22%
2017 44.9 - 44.2 - 45.5 -

The median age of Otsego County, Michigan gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,402 +10.77% 1,473 -14.96% 1,555 1,263
10 to 19 1,472 +0.75% 1,395 +10.53% 1,478 1,540
20 to 29 1,379 -0.58% 1,341 -1.44% 1,369 1,321
30 to 39 1,169 +22.45% 1,183 +19.44% 1,454 1,430
40 to 49 1,523 -9.4% 1,520 -12.53% 1,381 1,338
50 to 59 1,927 +3.66% 1,909 +0.94% 1,997 1,926
60 to 69 1,616 +11.34% 1,768 -2.03% 1,805 1,728
70+ 1,463 +4.21% 1,707 +11.4% 1,524 1,907

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Otsego County, Michigan is $59,330.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Otsego County.

  • Under 25
    $39,716.00
  • 25 to 44
    $63,833.00
  • 45 to 64
    $68,707.00
  • 65 and over
    $48,852.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Otsego County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Otsego County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Otsego County, Michigan is currently $73,331.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

3.46% of households in Otsego County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Otsego County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.26%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    25.30%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.11%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    16.42%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.45%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.00%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.46%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Otsego County is $30,859.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Otsego County by the total population of Otsego County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Otsego County, Michigan, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Otsego County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    11.47%
  • Bachelor's degree
    28.06%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13.40%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    44.35%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.72%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Otsego County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Otsego County over the age of 16 is 20,356.

Of those people, a total of 59.00% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Otsego County is 56.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 1,176 55.20% 11.70%
20 to 24 years 1,286 84.10% 10.20%
25 to 29 years 1,404 84.50% 12.30%
30 to 34 years 1,371 86.70% 0.90%
35 to 44 years 2,733 84.30% 2.70%
45 to 54 years 3,244 77.10% 3.40%
55 to 59 years 2,178 68.10% 3.90%
60 to 64 years 1,735 53.40% 1.70%
65 to 74 years 3,214 19.40% 1.60%
75 years and over 2,015 3.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Otsego County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 19,482 58.30% 4.80%
Black or African American 140 84.30% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 83 47.00% 0.00%
Asian 110 82.70% 14.30%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 54 81.50% 27.30%
Two or more races 487 75.20% 0.80%
Hispanic or Latino 290 69.70% 6.40%
Not Hispanic or Latino 19,353 58.30% 4.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Otsego County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Otsego County is 11,428, with median earnings of $34,500.00.

Women in Otsego County, Michigan earning approximately 72.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 11,428 $34,500.00
Male 6,219 $40,413.00
Female 5,209 $29,331.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 1,060 $59,286.00
Business and Financial 515 $50,469.00
Computer and Mathematical 89 $69,375.00
Architecture and Engineering 197 $108,073.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 71 $80,313.00
Community and Social Service 279 $39,053.00
Legal 54 $65,714.00
Educational and Library 570 $43,611.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 217 $13,162.00
Healthcare Practitioners 677 $62,246.00
Healthcare Support 304 $23,906.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 61 $4,375.00
Law Enforcement 186 $74,397.00
Food Preparation and Serving 1,083 $15,498.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 526 $28,822.00
Personal Care and Service 325 $13,607.00
Sales 1,415 $29,391.00
Office and Administrative Support 890 $29,200.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 118 $20,931.00
Construction and Extraction 663 $39,514.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 261 $37,240.00
Production 805 $38,904.00
Transportation and Material Moving 571 $32,031.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 589 $67,969.00 471 $39,328.00
Business and Financial 207 $58,988.00 308 $44,318.00
Computer and Mathematical 81 $95,417.00 8 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 156 $108,854.00 41 $87,656.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 64 $82,500.00 7 $0.00
Community and Social Service 119 $45,078.00 160 $37,500.00
Legal 32 $67,321.00 22 $37,250.00
Educational and Library 168 $27,153.00 402 $45,000.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 144 $3,750.00 73 $25,982.00
Healthcare Practitioners 144 $91,250.00 533 $60,098.00
Healthcare Support 61 $13,988.00 243 $25,099.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 56 $3,750.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 149 $74,717.00 37 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 397 $15,599.00 686 $15,364.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 434 $29,856.00 92 $10,714.00
Personal Care and Service 152 $6,964.00 173 $17,135.00
Sales 679 $48,732.00 736 $21,889.00
Office and Administrative Support 149 $29,196.00 741 $29,201.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 67 $9,883.00 51 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 644 $38,889.00 19 $44,375.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 259 $37,344.00 2 $0.00
Production 620 $41,200.00 185 $34,875.00
Transportation and Material Moving 514 $31,875.00 57 $32,625.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 10,452 households in Otsego County, with an average household size of 2.35 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 6,828 families in Otsego County with an average family size of 2.88 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 5,212 485 1,131 3,624
Average Household Size 2.92 2.88 3.12 1.23
Total Families 5,212 485 1,131 0
Average Household Size 2.91 2.53 2.89 0

Poverty

Of the 6,828 families in Otsego County, 7.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Otsego County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 14,841 housing units in Otsego County, Michigan.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 10,452 70.43%
Vacant 4,389 29.57%

16.28% of the total 14,841 housing units in Otsego County are rental units. This is approximately 2,416 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 7,857 are occupied by the owner - or 52.94% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Otsego County is $760.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Otsego County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    179
  • Less than $500
    451
  • $500 to $999
    1,447
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    437
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    59
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    7
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    15

Property Value

The median value of a property in Otsego County is $155,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Otsego County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    454
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,329
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,882
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,762
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    1,580
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    677
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    129
  • $1,000,000 or more
    44

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Otsego County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Otsego County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    624
  • 1940 to 1949
    533
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,131
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,587
  • 1970 to 1979
    3,619
  • 1980 to 1989
    2,134
  • 1990 to 1999
    2,826
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,703
  • 2010 to 2013
    679
  • 2014 or later
    5

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Otsego County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    674
  • 1 vehicle available
    3,437
  • 2 vehicles available
    4,136
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,205

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Otsego County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Otsego County that commute to work in a particular way.

19.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Otsego County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    657
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,535
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,462
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,987
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,110
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    411
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    774
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    176
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    240
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    492
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    352
  • 90 or more minutes
    145

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Otsego County, Michigan in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Otsego County, Michigan

We have data for 10 places in Otsego County, Michigan. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.