OTTAWA COUNTY, Ohio — Keeping up with a decades-long trend, Ottawa County's population continues to grow.
Ottawa was the fastest growing county in Michigan between 2010 and 2018 with a 10.1% population increase, according to recent estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The county was also the second fastest growing in the state from 2017 to 2018 behind Kalkaska County.
They were the only county to experience double-digit growth after four decades, said County Administrator Al Vanderberg.
"We're an attractive place to be, and part of our role is to remove barriers that would thwart that in the future."
Vanderberg attributed the growth to many factors, including the development of Grand Valley State University and Allendale Township, the bevy of natural resources in Ottawa County and a thriving business community.
Ottawa County is also getting more diverse. The board of commissioners recently established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office to eliminate implicit biases and make the county feel more welcoming to new employees.
One issue that comes with growth is adequate housing opportunities, Vanderberg said.
"Right now, you'll find many many subdivisions going in with homes that are in the $350,0000-$500,000 range, which is great from a tax base perspective, but employers also need moderate and affordable housing for workers to live in," he said.
The county is also facing a shrinking groundwater supply, due to poor recharge in a deep bedrock aquifer. That problem will be taken into account, as more people move to Ottawa County and want to build homes, Vanderberg said.
"We all wake up with a notion that we're going to have all the water we want... and it's a real shocker to have the thought that maybe we won't," he said. "That's going to be a major change in our culture when we ask people to look at water conservation, making that a part of our daily lives."
Ottawa County remains the 8th most populated in Michigan.
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