Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 421 people 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

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.05% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.36% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 2.09% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.02% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 3.48% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.48% from two or more races. 7.00% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 37.3% were of Dutch

Dutch people

The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...

, 14.6% German

Germans

The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

, 6.2% English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

, 5.6% Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 and 5.4% American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.5% spoke English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and 5.4% Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 as their first language.

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

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 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.

Summer seasonal residents are also a member of the populous Ottawa County. 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 the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 11.90% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 20.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.10% who were 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 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

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $21,676. About 3.10% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.70% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the
major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers
public health

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

 regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and
other social services. The county board of commissioners

County commission

A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...

 controls the
budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local
government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street
maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Ottawa County elected officials

• Prosecuting Attorney
  Prosecutor
  The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
  
  : Ronald J. Frantz
• Sheriff
  Sheriff
  A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
  
  : Gary A. Rosema
• County Clerk: Daniel C. Krueger
• County Treasurer
  Treasurer
  A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
  
  : Bradley Slagh
• Register of Deeds: Gary Scholten
• Drain Commissioner
  Drain commissioner
  A drain commissioner is an elected official in counties of the U.S. state of Michigan with a population over 12,000. In counties with a population under 12,000, the statutory duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner are performed by the county's board of road commissioners.The office...
  
  : Paul Geerlings

(information as of September 2005)

Politics

Ottawa County is a stronghold of the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

. The last Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 candidate to carry the county was George B. McClellan

George B. McClellan

George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...

 in 1864.

In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain

John McCain

John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

 received 83,330 votes in the county (61.03% of the total) to Democrat Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

's 50,828 (37.23%), even as Obama carried the state of Michigan by a double-digit margin.

In 2004, Republican president George W. Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

 received 92,048 votes in the county (71.55%) to Democrat John Kerry

John Kerry

John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...

's 35,552 (27.64%).

In 2000, Bush received 78,703 votes (71.16%) to Democrat Al Gore

Al Gore

Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....

's 29,600 (26.76%).

2008 election results are as follows: Republican Jack Hoogendyk

Jack Hoogendyk

Jacob "Jack" Hoogendyk is a Republican politician, a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and 2008 Republican candidate for the U.S...

 received 59.08% of Ottawa County's vote in his failed bid against US Senator Carl Levin

Carl Levin

Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....

; Republican Representative Peter Hoekstra received 71.7% of the vote; Republican David Agema received 73.45% in the race for the 74th district; Republican Arlan B. Meekhof received 60.71% in his race for the 89th District; Republican Joseph Haveman received 71.92% in his race for the 90th District; and Holly Hughes received 61.55% in her failed bid against Mary Valentine

Mary Valentine

Mary Valentine is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. She is a Democrat and former member of the Michigan State House of Representatives. She represented the 91st State House District, which includes most of Muskegon County, except for the city of Muskegon and surrounding areas. It...

 for the 91st District. No Republican lost any race in the county, and Republicans ran unopposed in several local races. The county voted against stem-cell research, but narrowly favored the legalization of medical marijuana and voted to allow the sales of beer and liquor on Sundays.

Cities, villages,townships and unincorporated communities

Cities

• Coopersville
  Coopersville, Michigan
  Coopersville is a city located in north central Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census. It is primarily a farming community....
  
  
• Ferrysburg
  Ferrysburg, Michigan
  Ferrysburg is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,040 at the 2000 census.Spring Lake Township borders the city on the north and east, though it is administratively autonomous. The village of Spring Lake is located to the southeast, on the opposite side of...
  
  
• Grand Haven
  Grand Haven, Michigan
  Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...
  
  
• Holland
  Holland, Michigan
  Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
  
  
• Hudsonville
  Hudsonville, Michigan
  Hudsonville is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,160.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,160 people, 2,514 households, and 1,920 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,729.1 per square mile...
  
  
• Zeeland
  Zeeland, Michigan
  Zeeland is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,805 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the western edge of Zeeland Charter Township which is politically independent. Its name is derived from the Dutch province of Zeeland...
  
  

Villages

• Spring Lake
  Spring Lake, Michigan
  Spring Lake is a village in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,514 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Spring Lake Township....
  
  

Unincorporated

• Allendale
  Allendale, Michigan
  Allendale is an unincorporated community in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes. The population was 17,579 at the 2010 census...
  
  
• Beechwood
  Beechwood, Michigan
  Beechwood is an unincorporated community in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but is not an incorporated municipality. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census....
  
  
• Borculo
• Conklin
• Drenthe
• Eastmanville
  Eastmanville, Michigan
  Eastmanville is an unincorporated community at the southern edge of Polkton Township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan.It is centered on the intersection of 68th Ave. and Leonard St. on the north bank of the Grand River at . 68th Ave. is the first bridge over the Grand River east of...
  
  
• Jenison
  Jenison, Michigan
  Jenison is an unincorporated community in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but has no legal status as an incorporated municipality. The community is governed by Georgetown Charter Township. The population of the CDP was 17,211...
  
  
• Marne
  Marne, Michigan
  Marne is an unincorporated community in Wright Township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Township offices are located in the community...
  
  

Townships

• Allendale Charter Township
  Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
  Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
  
  
• Blendon Township
  Blendon Township, Michigan
  Blendon Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,721.There are no incorporated municipalities within the township...
  
  
• Chester Township
  Chester Township, Ottawa County, Michigan
  Chester Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,315.-Communities:...
  
  
• Crockery Township
  Crockery Township, Michigan
  Crockery Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,782.- Communities :There are no incorporated municipalities within the township....
  
  
• Georgetown Charter Township
  Georgetown Township, Michigan
  Georgetown Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 41,658 at the 2000 census...
  
  

• Grand Haven Charter Township
  Grand Haven Charter Township, Michigan
  Grand Haven Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,278 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Holland Charter Township
  Holland Charter Township, Michigan
  Holland Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was at the 42,299 2010 census.The City of Holland is adjacent to the south and is administratively autonomous.- Geography :...
  
  
• Jamestown Charter Township
  Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan
  Jamestown Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,062 at the 2000 census.-History:...
  
  
• Olive Township
  Olive Township, Ottawa County, Michigan
  Olive Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,691 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
  
  

• Park Township
  Park Township, Ottawa County, Michigan
  Park Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 17,579. As of 2006 the population was 18,351.-Communities:...
  
  
• Polkton Charter Township
  Polkton Township, Michigan
  Polkton Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
  
  
• Port Sheldon Township
  Port Sheldon Township, Michigan
  Port Sheldon Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 4,503...
  
  
• Robinson Township
  Robinson Township, Michigan
  Robinson Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,588 at the 2000 census.- Communities :There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
  
  

• Spring Lake Township
  Spring Lake Township, Michigan
  Spring Lake Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,140 at the 2000 census. The village of Spring Lake is located within the township....
  
  
• Tallmadge Charter Township
  Tallmadge Township, Michigan
  Tallmadge Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,575 at the 2010 census.-Communities:...
  
  
• Wright Township
  Wright Township, Ottawa County, Michigan
  Wright Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,147 at the 2010 census.-Communities:*Big Spring was a small settlement at on the northern boundary of the township between sections 3 and 4...
  
  
• Zeeland Charter Township
  Zeeland Charter Township, Michigan
  Zeeland Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,613 at the 2000 census. As of the 2009 census estimates, the population was 9,266.- Communities :...
  
  

Interstates

• I-96
  Interstate 96
  Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
  
  
• I-196
  Interstate 196
  Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
  
  
• I-196 Business Loop serves the city of Holland.

Michigan State Trunklines

• M-6
  M-6 (Michigan highway)
  M-6, or the Paul B. Henry Freeway, is a freeway and state trunkline highway in the United States that serves portions of southern Kent and eastern Ottawa counties south of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the freeway is named for Paul B. Henry, local residents and the press continue to use the...
  
  
• M-11
  M-11 (Michigan highway)
  M-11 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The highway runs through the western and southern sides of the metro area, starting over the border in Ottawa County at an interchange with Interstate 96...
  
  
• M-45
  M-45 (Michigan highway)
  M-45 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that is also called Lake Michigan Drive. The highway runs from Agnew near Lake Michigan to the west side of Grand Rapids in the western Lower Peninsula. Lake Michigan Drive continues in each direction from M-45's termini, extending west...
  
  
• M-104
  M-104 (Michigan highway)
  M-104 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Western Michigan region of the state. It runs from Ferrysburg to Nunica in Ottawa County, passing through Spring Lake...
  
  
• M-121
  M-121 (Michigan highway)
  M-121 is a state trunkline highway in West Michigan. The highway follows Chicago Drive, a local roadway, from Zeeland to Grandville. Chicago Drive itself runs past the M-121 segment on either from Holland to Wyoming. The roadway passes through rural farmland on a route that runs parallel to...
  
  

Ottawa County Intercounty Highways

• A-37
• B-31
• B-35
• B-72

External links

• County of Ottawa
• Grand Haven & Tri-Cities Alumni
• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Ottawa County