The Town FilesOtto, Michigan
Township in Oceana County · population 858 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,700
- Household income
- $69,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.5
Otto is a township of 858 people in Oceana County, Michigan. The median home is worth $170,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 79% of Michigan towns, quieter than 75% of Michigan towns.
How Otto 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 Otto is worth $170,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $69,583, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. 95.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Otto | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | — | $955 |
| Median household income | $69,583 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.9% | — |
Who lives in Otto
| People | Otto | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.4% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Otto
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 14.2°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otto since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 14, 1990 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 14, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 29, 2019.
Severe weather in Oceana County since 1996
Oceana County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 27, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3137: Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Jobs and pay in Oceana County
Oceana County had 6,470 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,679 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Otto itself the ACS puts it at 10.4%.
Towns near Otto
- Blue Lake, MI5.6 mi · 2,416 people · home $247,600
- Ferry, MI6.1 mi · 1,271 people · home $201,800
- Grant, MI6.2 mi · 3,002 people · home $131,000
- Greenwood, MI6.2 mi · 1,156 people · home $186,500
- Whitehall, MI7.7 mi · 1,768 people · home $213,800
- Newfield, MI8.4 mi · 2,329 people · home $170,200
- Montague, MI8.5 mi · 1,555 people · home $218,300
- Holton, MI8.6 mi · 2,586 people · home $186,300
Otto questions
Is Otto, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Otto scores better for retirees than 7% of Michigan towns and quieter than 75%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Otto?
The median owner-occupied home in Otto is valued at $170,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,583, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Otto?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 14.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Otto get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 14, 1990. 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)