Ottawa County leads Michigan growth but could strain local infrastructure, analyst says

OTTAWA COUNTY — Ottawa County is cementing its status as Michigan’s primary growth engine, adding more than 11,000 residents since 2020 and bucking a statewide trend of stagnant population numbers, according to new federal data.

The latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau highlight a rare success story in the Great Lakes State: a "natural increase" where births still outpace deaths. 

While the vast majority of Michigan’s 83 counties are struggling with aging populations, Ottawa County ranked fourth in the state for total natural increase over the previous year.

Since 2020, the county has seen 3,231 more births than deaths, ranking it third in the state for natural growth over that five-year span.

But this uptick of new neighbors — including more than 1,500 people who moved to the area just this past year — is putting a spotlight on the region's shared resources. 

Ottawa County’s Research and Data Analyst Stephanie Oesch said that, although the growth is a sign of a healthy economy, it requires constant maintenance.

"Critical infrastructure such as roads, water and emergency services ... require constant attention, especially in areas experiencing continued growth," Oesch said. "The county’s deep bedrock aquifer system, which has experienced declining levels of water availability over the years, has been and continues to be a key focus area for Ottawa County and its community stakeholders."

Oesch added that a major goal for the county is "ensuring that our regional municipal water infrastructure is also well positioned to accommodate new growth."

The boom isn't hitting every corner of the county at once. Officials are keeping a close watch on a few specific areas where growing development is ongoing. 

"Grand Haven Township, Blendon Township and Jamestown Township have seen the biggest population increase in recent years, so it will be interesting to see if those townships continue to see similar increases in 2025," Oesch said.

While some residents have wondered if the county’s master plan is ready for another 4 percent population jump by 2030, Oesch said the real work happens at the local level.

"In Ottawa County, traditional master planning occurs at the local unit of government level, with most communities regularly updating their master plans to account for population changes, changing land-use dynamics, and new or changing community needs," Oesch said.

She said the Ottawa County Department of Strategic Impact acts as a partner for these local towns, helping them look at the "big picture" through data on housing, water and traffic.

Still, there are some things the data doesn't say. For instance, it is hard to know exactly who these new residents are — whether they are young families taking local manufacturing jobs or remote workers moving in from out of state.

"The U.S. Census Bureau’s ‘Population and Housing Unit Estimates’ does not include that sort of demographic information on a county or local unit level," Oesch said. She said more detailed information on ages and housing prices should be available when the American Community Survey releases new estimates late this year or in early 2027.

Until then, Oesch said Ottawa County remains a standout in a state looking for ways to grow, leaning on a "collective effort to maintain the strong quality of life in Ottawa County while balancing continued population growth."

The population data for the entire state is available at the US Census Bureau’s website. Additional data and reports can be found at Ottawa County's Department of Strategic Impact.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.