The Town FilesSpring Lake, Michigan
Township in Ottawa County · population 15,296 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $359,200
- Household income
- $97,451
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 87 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.1
Spring Lake is a township of 15,296 people in Ottawa County, Michigan. The median home is worth $359,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Michigan towns, hipper than 91% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 88% of Michigan towns.
How Spring Lake 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 Spring Lake is worth $359,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $97,451, which is more affordable than 12% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,287 a month. 81.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spring Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $359,200 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,287 | $955 |
| Median household income | $97,451 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Spring Lake
| People | Spring Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 88.8% |
Weather in Spring Lake
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 87.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 4, 1965 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 11, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 13, 1956.
Severe weather in Ottawa County since 1996
Ottawa County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Ottawa County
Ottawa County had 131,885 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,813 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Spring Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Spring Lake
3 public schools with 935 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West MI Academy of Arts and Academics (charter) | K-8 | 423 | 11.4 |
| Lake Hills Elementary School | PK-4 | 275 | 15.3 |
| Walden Green Montessori (charter) | K-8 | 237 | 18.2 |
Towns near Spring Lake
- Grand Haven, MI1.2 mi · 11,011 people · home $250,100
- Ferrysburg, MI1.6 mi · 2,952 people · home $239,900
- Grand Haven, MI5.0 mi · 18,004 people · home $365,800
- Crockery, MI6.1 mi · 4,572 people · home $306,000
- Fruitport, MI6.5 mi · 14,575 people · home $226,800
- Norton Shores, MI7.1 mi · 25,030 people · home $234,800
- Robinson, MI8.0 mi · 6,382 people · home $313,100
- Sullivan, MI9.1 mi · 2,541 people · home $215,700
Spring Lake questions
Is Spring Lake, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spring Lake scores better for retirees than 82% of Michigan towns and quieter than 22%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.1).
How much does a house cost in Spring Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Spring Lake is valued at $359,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,451, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,287 a month.
What is the weather like in Spring Lake?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.6 inches of precipitation a year and 87.2 inches of snow.
Does Spring Lake get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 4, 1965. 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)