The Town FilesOntonagon, Michigan
Township in Ontonagon County · population 2,253 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,500
- Household income
- $59,135
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 178 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 58.0
Ontonagon is a township of 2,253 people in Ontonagon County, Michigan. The median home is worth $120,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 98% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Michigan towns.
How Ontonagon ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ontonagon is worth $120,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $59,135, which is more affordable than 94% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $538 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ontonagon | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $538 | $955 |
| Median household income | $59,135 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 19.2% | — |
Who lives in Ontonagon
| People | Ontonagon | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 10.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 18.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 88.8% |
Weather in Ontonagon
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 177.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ontonagon since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1953 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 19, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 12, 2011.
Severe weather in Ontonagon County since 1996
Ontonagon County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 6, 2002 | Flood | DR-1413: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County had 1,338 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $35,632 a year. Unemployment was 7% in 2023; in Ontonagon itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Ontonagon
- Ontonagon, MI2.7 mi · 1,285 people · home $105,200
- Greenland, MI10.4 mi · 628 people · home $89,600
- Stannard, MI17.7 mi · 645 people · home $109,800
- Carp Lake, MI19.9 mi · 582 people · home $67,000
Ontonagon questions
Is Ontonagon, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ontonagon scores better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns and quieter than 98%. 38.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.0).
How much does a house cost in Ontonagon?
The median owner-occupied home in Ontonagon is valued at $120,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,135, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $538 a month.
What is the weather like in Ontonagon?
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 177.7 inches of snow.
Does Ontonagon get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ontonagon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 30, 1953. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)