Oceana County's composite score of 70.4 substantially surpasses the national median of 50.0, securing its place among America's more livable counties. This strong national standing reflects excellent affordability and manageable tax rates.
2 / 5
Above-average performer in Michigan
Oceana's 70.4 score exceeds Michigan's state average of 68.7, ranking it among the state's better-performing counties. It stands among the top tier of Michigan's eight counties in this livability cohort.
3 / 5
Outstanding housing value and reasonable taxes
Oceana leads this cohort with a cost score of 81.9, offering the lowest median rent at $768 monthly and median home values of $167,600. A tax score of 70.1 backed by a 1.143% effective rate provides additional financial advantage.
4 / 5
Modest income levels and incomplete data
The median household income of $63,624 produces an income score of 24.9, indicating limited wage growth opportunities for local earners. Critical information on safety, health, schools, and environmental conditions remains unavailable.
5 / 5
Ideal for value-seekers wanting rural charm
Oceana County attracts budget-conscious families, retirees, and remote workers seeking the lowest housing costs and strong tax advantages. Its combination of affordability and reasonable taxes makes it appealing to those prioritizing financial security over high local incomes.
Oceana County's composite score of 70.4 substantially surpasses the national median of 50.0, securing its place among America's more livable counties. This strong national standing reflects excellent affordability and manageable tax rates.
Above-average performer in Michigan
Oceana's 70.4 score exceeds Michigan's state average of 68.7, ranking it among the state's better-performing counties. It stands among the top tier of Michigan's eight counties in this livability cohort.
Outstanding housing value and reasonable taxes
Oceana leads this cohort with a cost score of 81.9, offering the lowest median rent at $768 monthly and median home values of $167,600. A tax score of 70.1 backed by a 1.143% effective rate provides additional financial advantage.
Modest income levels and incomplete data
The median household income of $63,624 produces an income score of 24.9, indicating limited wage growth opportunities for local earners. Critical information on safety, health, schools, and environmental conditions remains unavailable.
Ideal for value-seekers wanting rural charm
Oceana County attracts budget-conscious families, retirees, and remote workers seeking the lowest housing costs and strong tax advantages. Its combination of affordability and reasonable taxes makes it appealing to those prioritizing financial security over high local incomes.
Score breakdown
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🏛70.1
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
Oceana's effective tax rate of 1.143% sits just above the national median of 1.099%, placing it slightly on the higher side nationally. The median annual property tax of $1,916 is about 29% below the national median of $2,690, reflecting lower property values rather than high tax burden.
Slightly below Michigan average
Oceana's 1.143% effective rate falls slightly below Michigan's 1.166% average, ranking it in the lower-middle tier statewide. The county offers modest tax advantage without being among the state's most relieved counties.
Mid-range in regional tax comparison
Oceana's 1.143% rate sits between Montcalm (1.075%) and Newaygo (1.151%), occupying the moderate zone in west-central Michigan's tax landscape. The county avoids extremes on either end of the spectrum.
What $167,600 home costs annually
An Oceana County homeowner with a median-valued property pays roughly $1,916 in annual property taxes. With mortgage-related charges included, the total reaches approximately $2,061 per year.
Request a reassessment if needed
Oceana residents should verify their assessment reflects current market values in their local area. If your property was assessed higher than comparable recent sales, contact the assessor to request a reassessment review.
Oceana residents spend just 14.5% of income on rent, beating the national average of 16.3% by nearly 2 percentage points while earning $11,131 less than U.S. medians. This advantage signals that Oceana offers authentic housing value despite below-average county income.
Michigan's most affordable rental county
Oceana's 14.5% rent-to-income ratio ranks as Michigan's best, nearly 2 percentage points below the state average of 16.3% and well below all peer counties. This leadership makes Oceana Michigan's standout bargain for renters seeking maximum affordability.
The region's affordability champion
Oceana's $768 rent is the region's lowest and its 14.5% burden unmatched—beating Montcalm (16.0%), Missaukee (16.3%), and all other nearby counties. Combined with moderate ownership costs of $836, Oceana emerges as this entire region's housing value leader by a decisive margin.
Housing remains remarkably lean
Oceana's $63,624 median income supports just $768 monthly rent (14.5%) or $836 ownership costs (15.8%), the most efficient housing allocation in this county group. This lean spending preserves maximum income for savings, education, and quality-of-life investments that other counties cannot match.
Michigan's affordability frontier
Oceana delivers Michigan's lowest rent-to-income ratio at 14.5%, meaning your paycheck stretches further here than nearly anywhere in the state. If affordable housing is your primary goal and you can access remote work or local opportunity, Oceana represents Michigan's best value proposition for relocators.
Oceana County's median household income of $63,624 falls roughly $11,100 below the national median of $74,755. This 15% shortfall places Oceana in the lower-middle income category nationally.
Just below Michigan's county average
At $63,624, Oceana County's median household income sits about $700 below Michigan's county average of $64,304. The county ranks near the middle of Michigan's 83 counties by household income.
Mid-range earner in west Michigan
Oceana's median income of $63,624 sits between Newaygo ($61,931) and Montcalm ($64,892) in the regional comparison. Only Monroe County to the southeast and Oakland County further away earn substantially more in the broader area.
Lowest housing cost burden in group
Oceana County boasts the lowest rent-to-income ratio of just 14.5%, meaning housing consumes the smallest share of typical household income. With a median home value of $167,600, properties are exceptionally affordable relative to county earnings.
Affordable housing maximizes savings capacity
At only 14.5% of income, Oceana's housing burden is the leanest among all comparison counties, freeing significant resources for savings and investments. Households earning the county median can aggressively fund retirement accounts, emergency funds, and long-term wealth strategies.
At 76.9 years, Oceana County's life expectancy edges 0.5 years above the U.S. average of 76.4 years, a small but meaningful advantage. The 17.5% poor/fair health rate falls slightly below the national average of 18%, indicating Oceana residents experience somewhat better overall health than typical Americans.
Above-average health, limited insurance gap
Oceana's 76.9-year life expectancy outpaces Michigan's state average of 76.3 years by six months, placing the county in the healthier tier statewide. The 7.3% uninsured rate exceeds Michigan's 6.4% average, meaning more Oceana residents lack insurance coverage than is typical for the state.
Solid primary care, limited mental health
Oceana offers 49 primary care providers per 100,000 residents, above many rural neighbors but below state averages, and only 48 mental health providers per 100,000—the lowest mental health capacity among comparison counties. This imbalance means residents have decent access to routine care but may struggle finding behavioral health services.
Insurance barriers and mental health gaps
Oceana's 7.3% uninsured rate means roughly 1 in 14 residents lack coverage, potentially delaying care and increasing emergency department use. The county's critically low mental health provider capacity—48 per 100,000, a fraction of state averages—creates a bottleneck for residents needing behavioral health support.
Insurance first, then seek mental health
If you're uninsured in Oceana, securing coverage through Healthcare.gov or Michigan Medicaid is your first step toward accessing any healthcare services. Once covered, expect longer waits for mental health appointments; ask your primary care provider about telehealth options or regional referrals to address this gap.
Oceana County's composite risk score of 33.72 sits comfortably below the national average, earning a "Very Low" rating that reflects minimal natural disaster exposure. The county faces roughly one-third the typical disaster risk of the average U.S. county.
Among Michigan's safest counties
Oceana's 33.72 score ranks it in Michigan's safest tier, well below the state average of 49.56 and comparable to Missaukee and Montmorency counties. The county enjoys one of the most favorable natural disaster risk profiles in the state.
Safer than most surrounding areas
Oceana's 33.72 score outperforms neighboring Newaygo County (47.07) and Muskegon County (70.10), making it one of the more protected communities in west Michigan. Only Missaukee County (11.10) and Montmorency County (15.87) rank notably safer statewide.
Flood and tornado risks are modest concerns
Flood risk of 43.64 and tornado risk of 30.92 are Oceana's highest hazard scores, both remaining well below state and national averages. Wildfire risk of 34.57 and earthquake risk of 20.01 are also minimal, creating a generally low-hazard environment.
Oceana County residents can rely on standard homeowners insurance coverage as the county faces low overall disaster risk. Those in mapped flood zones should verify flood coverage separately, but most residents in Oceana enjoy minimal natural disaster insurance needs.