M-28-Sand River Bridge · National Register of Historic Places
Onota’s story
Onota in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →OnotaMI
A town of 435. Nearly 27.2% of it is conserved land.
Population
435
residents
Median home value
$331K
Census ACS
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
57.4
years
Jobs based here
22
A commuter town
What makes Onota stand out
The thing Onota does most differently from other towns.
Small town
435 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Rock RiverChocolayAu TrainSkandiaOnota
Onota’s report card
Now in Onota
Be the first to start the conversation.
Start a conversation
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Onota. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a quarter of Onota is conserved land
78 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves.
27.2%conserved
27.2%
conserved · 17,916 of 65,829 acres
78 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tory's Woods Preserve | 2.2 mi | 207 |
| 2. Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (South) | 1.3 mi | 785 |
| 3. Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park | 1.1 mi | 438 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Onota
Most working residents leave Onota for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Munising (24%), Marquette (19%) and Munising (8%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
1%work in town
Where working residents work
In Onota1%
Munising24%
Marquette19%
Munising8%
Rock River6%
20 mi
median commute distance
22
jobs based in Onota
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 23% of U.S. communities.
23risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2022
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Onota has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 164 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
164″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–27°
Spring29–48°
Summer53–73°
Fall38–54°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 27
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
How healthy Onota is
Onota beats the Michigan average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
32 measures vs. Michigan
11 better16 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Onota | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.8% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.3% | 15.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.1% | 8.9% |
Munising Memorial Hospital
15.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
The schools Onota’s kids attend
AuTrain-Onota Public Schools · 1 schools
| School | Grades | Students | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AuTrainOnota Public School | PK–8 | 20 |
NCES · EDFactsAll 1 schools →
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Onota for work
Where Onota’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
22jobs based in Onota
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021