Northside (Castle) Park, 2009
Otsego Township’s story
195 years in pictures
Census counts: 994 in 1870, 4,120 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1916 on.
- 1831Otsego Township is settled
Otsego TownshipMI
Population
6,001
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Median home value
$265K
Census ACS
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
46.4
years
Jobs based here
1,319
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#217 of 697 in MI
Is Otsego Township a good place to live?
Where it does best is schools: its schools outperform 85% of the state's. It also does well on incomes: the median household earns $74K. Homes run about $265K for a typical one, 3.2 times the Holland area’s $83K median household income. The overall grade lands at B+, 217th of 697 in Michigan. On that grade it does better than 72% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Allegan State Game Area, at 1,049 acres. Only 107 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on hazard risk. Otsego Township’s average trip to work is 19 minutes, where Michigan’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap.
StrongestASchools
What makes Otsego Township stand out
Where Otsego Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Otsego Township for work
Where Otsego Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,319jobs based in Otsego Township
4%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Otsego Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Otsego Township is from typical.
SchoolsIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentB+Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 3.1% of households have no car; 3.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB−Open →HealthBeacon Allegan 7.1 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 6% conserved landB−Open →HistoryAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
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 Otsego Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Otsego Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOtsego water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Otsego Township’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 hereOtsego Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49078, 49080, 4907049078 68% · 49080 31% · 49070 1%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 Otsego Township.
Otsego Township gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most of Otsego Township’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.5 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here fell from 1,938 in 2011 to 1,319.
Only 4% of working residents stay in Otsego Township for work; the rest commute out. Jobs based in the town fell to 1,319 in 2021, 619 fewer than in 2011. Half of commuters travel less than 15 miles. The top destinations are Kalamazoo (11%), Allegan (8%) and Otsego (7%).
4%work in town
| Otsego Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 10% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Otsego Township4%
Kalamazoo11%
Allegan8%
Otsego7%
Plainwell5%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,319
jobs based in Otsego Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 54% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
Otsego Township: snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Bloomingdale weather station, 13 miles away, records that 109 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 98% of U.S. towns.
July afternoons reach 83° and January nights drop to 18°.
109″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–34°
Spring37–58°
Summer59–81°
Fall42–61°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Michigan overall
The median age in Otsego Township is 46.4 years. Adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (38% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). College graduates make up 27% of adults 25 and older, against 32% across Michigan.
46.4median age · MI 40.2
| Otsego Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 16% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 46.4 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
Otsego TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school36%
Some college25%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.5 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Otsego Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.3% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.2% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.6% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.5% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 25% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.5% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.6% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsB−
In Otsego Township, 5.7% of the land is conserved
1.2 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
#565for trails in MI
5.7%
conserved · 1,220 of 21,564 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Allegan State Game Area | 0.1 mi | 1,049 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Otsego Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Otsego Township’s FEMA hazard score comes in at 54 of 100. Expected losses in Otsego Township break down as 72% from inland flooding and 12% from tornadoes. The national flood insurance program has paid one claim locally since 2009.
54risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2009
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Health in Otsego Township trails 50% of U.S. towns
27% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Otsego Township. In Otsego Township, nearly a third of adults sleep under 7 hours.
50%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Otsego Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Otsego Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.3% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.1% | 11.9% |
Beacon Allegan
7.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
50th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 32 attractions →Air Zoo and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Otsego Township. Close and well known come first.
19 mi Theme parkAir Zoo
34 mi MuseumGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
38 mi Park & preserveNorth Country Trail
36 mi MuseumFrederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
16 mi MuseumGilmore Car Museum87K visitors a year34 mi TheatreAcrisure AmphitheaterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Air Zoo: User:my name, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum: Staff of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Public domain · North Country Trail: Huron-Manistee National Forests, Public domain · Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: User Jeffness on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Gilmore Car Museum: Kevin S. Forsyth, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Otsego Township
18pages on Otsego Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Otsego Township
Kalamazoo CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Kalamazoo14.2 mi$61,050 tuitionWestern Michigan UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kalamazoo14.5 mi$15,252 in-state tuitionWestern Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of MedicineUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Kalamazoo14.9 mi
About 2 of every 100 Otsego Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Otsego Township
City in Michigan, United States
Otsego is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,120 at the 2020 census. The city is within Otsego Township, but is administratively autonomous. Otsego is situated on M-89 about three miles (4.8 km) west of Plainwell and US 131. It is about nine miles (14 km) southeast of Allegan, seventeen miles (27 km) north of Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo River flows east to west through the city.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1831
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 709 ft
- ZIP code
- 49078
- Area code
- 269
Otsego Township’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Otsego Township.
Gun Plain Township next door grades lower for schools (B to Otsego Township’s A) and higher for cost of living (A− to B−).
Gun Plain TownshipTrowbridge TownshipWatson TownshipAlamo TownshipPlainwellOtsego Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego Township | #217 | B+ | B− | — | A | B− |
| Gun Plain Township | #178 | A− | A− | — | B | B |
| Trowbridge Township | #495 | C+ | A− | — | C+ | C |
| Watson Township | — | — | B | — | B+ | C+ |
| Alamo Township | #169 | A− | C+ | — | A | B+ |
| Plainwell | #372 | B− | B | C+ | B | B− |
Watson Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Otsego Township, Gun Plain Township, Trowbridge Township, Watson Township and Alamo Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Otsego Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Otsego Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Otsego Township, MI a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Otsego Township grades B+ overall, better than 72% of U.S. towns and #217 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B− for health and A for schools.
Is Otsego Township, MI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.