Otter Lake, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 379, Otter Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Otter Lake is a small community located in Michigan, within Genesee County. The total population is 379. It ranks as the 585th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Otter Lake is 53.9 years. This is 34% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 9.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Otter Lake is $42,969. This is 41% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.8%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 6.7%. This is 18% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $101,400. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Otter Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 91.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Otter Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.5% of all residents. Asian residents account for 1.6%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

6.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 81% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Otter Lake, Michigan is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Michigan state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 745 Census-designated places in Michigan. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.