Otsego County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Otsego County, Michigan had an estimated 26,083 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,089, across 515 square miles. County output reached $1.50 bn in 2024, 846 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 57 7(a) approvals worth $21.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Otsego County
How many people live in Otsego County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,584
- Households11,231
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$68,183
- Median age44.4
- Median gross rent$1,008 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,700
- Home value to household income3.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,471
- Population under 185,328
- Share under 1820.8 percent
- Population 65 and over5,654
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6414,602
- Civilian labor force13,204
- Unemployment rate4.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.2 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties56th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1633rd of 3,222
Otsego County is the 56th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 3.2 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.1 percent against 20.8 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Otsego County
Is Otsego County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202426,083
- Census 2020 base population25,089
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.96 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024298
- Births, 2024239
- Deaths, 2024326
- Natural change, 2024-87
- Net domestic migration, 2024334
- Net international migration, 202453
- Total net migration, 2024387
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,259
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents696th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.96 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Otsego County
Where are people moving to Otsego County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving918
- People arriving, from those returns1,623
- Tax returns filed by households leaving801
- Net household movement117
- Adjusted gross income arriving$60.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$16.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,020
- Average income of a leaving household$54,777
- Largest single originCharlevoix County (51 households)
- Largest single destinationAntrim County (50 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlevoix County | 51 | 99 | $2.4 m |
| Crawford County | 51 | 96 | $3.0 m |
| Oakland County | 51 | 85 | $5.3 m |
| Antrim County | 43 | 69 | $2.0 m |
| Wayne County | 39 | 76 | $2.6 m |
| Cheboygan County | 38 | 64 | $1.5 m |
| Emmet County | 38 | 59 | $1.8 m |
| Montmorency County | 37 | 83 | $1.8 m |
Households arriving report $11,243 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Charlevoix County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Otsego County
What is the Otsego County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.50 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.48 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.0 percent
- GDP change over five years33.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes52nd of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1518th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$58,549
Output grew 1.0 percent in the latest year and 33.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Otsego County
Employment by industry in Otsego County
- Covered employment, annual average10,703
- Establishments reporting811
- Average annual pay$53,154
- Average weekly wage$1,022
- Retail trade, employment2,260
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,970
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,353
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,517
- Manufacturing, employment998
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$72,405
- Construction, employment626
- Construction, average annual pay$71,488
- Finance and insurance, employment482
- Other services, except public administration, employment466
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,260 | 115 | $36,970 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,353 | 70 | $26,517 |
| Manufacturing | 998 | 33 | $72,405 |
| Construction | 626 | 96 | $71,488 |
| Finance and insurance | 482 | 30 | $81,671 |
| Other services, except public administration | 466 | 71 | $44,601 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 342 | 28 | $55,338 |
| Wholesale trade | 341 | 28 | $66,002 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,260 jobs, 21.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Otsego County
How many businesses are in Otsego County?
- Establishments, all industries846
- Employment at those establishments9,372
- Annual payroll$448.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Otsego County
Building permits in Otsego County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202424
- Declared construction value permitted$1.9 m
- Single family units authorized24
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$81,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Otsego County
SBA loans in Otsego County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded57
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$376,933
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$18,000
- 90th percentile approval$756,600
- Largest single approval$4,900,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)508
- Jobs per approval8.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals28
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter50
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals10.5 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (34)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.3 m
- Average 504 approval$257,600
- Median 504 approval$253,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval5.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.7
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$22.8 m
The average approval of $376,933 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 10.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Otsego County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Otsego County
Do SBA loans in Otsego County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded19
- Paid in full19
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full19
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure25
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Only 19 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Otsego County
SBA lending by place in Otsego County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Gaylord, approvals49
- Johannesburg, approvals5
- Elmira, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gaylord | 49 | $20,437,600 |
| Johannesburg | 5 | $937,600 |
| Elmira | 3 | $110,000 |
Gaylord accounts for 49 approvals against 5 in Johannesburg. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Otsego County
How large is Otsego County?
- Land area515 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties67th of 83
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land50
- Establishments per square mile1.64
- Radon levels in Otsego County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Otsego County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Otsego County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,584
- Households11,231
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$68,183
- Median age44.4
Common questions
Otsego County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Otsego County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 26,083 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 25,584, in 11,231 households, ranking 56th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Otsego County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.96 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,089, to 26,083 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 239 births against 326 deaths, with net migration of 387. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Otsego County?
$68,183. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,700, which is 3.2 times income, and median gross rent is $1,008 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Otsego County?
846 establishments, employing 9,372 people with an annual payroll of $448.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Otsego County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,260 jobs, 21.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,703 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,154, or $1,022 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Otsego County?
57 7(a) approvals totaling $21.5 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $1.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Otsego County?
24 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.9 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Otsego County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Otsego County come from?
The largest single origin is Charlevoix County, with 51 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,020 against $54,777 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Otsego County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Otsego County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Otsego County
Cities and places in Otsego.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Otsego County. All 2 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaylord | city | 4,357 | 49 | Wholly in this county |
| Vanderbilt | village | 341 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 8 of the county's 57 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Otsego County, the largest being Johannesburg (5), Elmira (3). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby