Ontonagon, Mich.Alternate Title: Views of Lake Superior No. 79, c. 1870
Ontonagon’s story
180 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1853.
- 1846Ontonagon is settled
OntonagonMI
5.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
1,264
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$142K
+14% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
59.5
years
Jobs based here
461
Balanced
Is Ontonagon a good place to live?
Ontonagon’s best subject grades are an A for cost of living, an A− for walkability, and an A+ for civic life; its weakest is a D for incomes. 38% of residents are 65 or older in Ontonagon, above both the Michigan town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). On cost of living, just 67 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. Ontonagon’s trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile, above both the Michigan town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). No town in Michigan scores higher than Ontonagon on civic life. The biggest park or preserve is Ontonagon Township Park, at 70 acres. Ontonagon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Ontonagon stand out
Where Ontonagon beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Ontonagon16.2
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeA+
5.3 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
HistoryA
Settled in 1846
A long history
A history going back 180 years.
A shrinking town
Ontonagon has shrunk 14% since 2010
1,494 counted in 2010 and 1,285 in 2020; an estimated 1,264 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Ontonagon grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Ontonagon is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $142K, 2.6 years of the county’s $54K median household incomeAOpen →Jobs & income$50K median household incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 8.7% of households have no car; 9.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 81% of U.S. towns; Up Health System Portage 39.2 miles awayC−Open →SchoolsBeat 63% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landB+Open →History1 notable person born hereAOpen →Civic life16.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ontonagon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ontonagon, and how to reach them.
PowerUpper Michigan Energy Resources17.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOntonagon water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ontonagon’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOntonagon Township ClerkOntonagon Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4995349953 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ontonagon.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Ontonagon
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ontonagon.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 1980
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
In Ontonagon, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Michigan or U.S. town
The median rent in Ontonagon is $538 a month. Typical home values rose 14% in the year to September 2026. 67% of households own their home in Ontonagon.
$142KZillow home value
| Ontonagon | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $538 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 84% | 73% |
Typical home value
Ontonagon$142K
Michigan$264K
+14%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC−
Ontonagon stands out in Michigan and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
48% of Ontonagon adults have high blood pressure. Ontonagon beats the Michigan average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 17% of Ontonagon adults have diabetes.
19%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Ontonagon | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 80% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
4 better16 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Ontonagon | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.5% | 15.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.2% | 77.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.7% | 7% |
Up Health System Portage
39.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Ontonagon, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Ontonagon has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. Ontonagon’s July high is 76°F.
178″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–27°
Spring28–49°
Summer53–74°
Fall37–54°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 27
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About two in five of Ontonagon’s working residents commute to Ontonagon Township
About one in 3 of Ontonagon’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Ontonagon fell to 461 in 2021, 252 fewer than in 2011. The top destinations are Ontonagon Township (41%), Baraga Township (5%) and Houghton (4%).
36%work in town
| Ontonagon | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 36% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Ontonagon36%
Ontonagon Township41%
Baraga Township5%
Houghton4%
Escanaba3%
23 mi
median commute distance
461
jobs based in Ontonagon
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
OutdoorsB+
Ontonagon has set aside 0.1% of its land for conservation
4.4 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves.
0.1%conserved
0.1%
conserved · 3 of 2,442 acres
4.4 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ontonagon Township Park | 0.3 mi | 70 |
| 2. Ontonagon Riverfront Park | 0.1 mi | 28 |
| 3. Webber Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ontonagon
19pages on Ontonagon
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ontonagon; the nearest are
Michigan Technological UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Houghton40 mi$19,123 in-state tuitionKeweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · LAnse41.5 mi$5,000 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Ontonagon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Small town
1,264 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Ontonagon TownshipOntonagon
About Ontonagon
Village in Michigan, United States
Ontonagon ( ON-tə-NAH-gən is a village in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,285 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ontonagon County, and is the only incorporated place within the county. The village is located within Ontonagon Township, at the mouth of the Ontonagon River on Lake Superior. Industry was centered on the Smurfit-Stone Container production facility at the river mouth until the plant closed in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 617 ft
- ZIP code
- 49953
Questions about Ontonagon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ontonagon, MI a good place to live?
5.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Is Ontonagon, MI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.