The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 32 local governments in Oceana County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships (7 municipal, 16 township)
23
0
School districts (school boards)
4
0
Special districts (elected boards)
4
1
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Oceana County
26,915people
44.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$62,417 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
21.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$190,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
6.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.5%U.S.: 8.4%
37.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 15.5% · White 79.5% · Black 1% · Asian 0.1% · Other or more than one race 3.8% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Oceana County
4.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.2%. Michigan: 4.8%.
538people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
10,641people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
11,179in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
4.8%
538
10,641
11,179
August 2026
5.3%
623
11,024
11,647
July 2026
5.7%
651
10,833
11,484
June 2026
5.4%
633
11,034
11,667
May 2026
6.4%
704
10,244
10,948
April 2026
6.9%
735
9,958
10,693
March 2026
8.4%
882
9,591
10,473
February 2026
8.7%
885
9,343
10,228
January 2026
9.0%
949
9,595
10,544
December 2025
7.3%
811
10,274
11,085
November 2025
5.9%
671
10,788
11,459
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
5.2%
643
11,839
12,482
August 2025
5.7%
745
12,257
13,002
July 2025
6.7%
895
12,446
13,341
June 2025
6.7%
861
12,044
12,905
May 2025
6.8%
848
11,686
12,534
April 2025
8.1%
957
10,787
11,744
March 2025
9.6%
1,104
10,442
11,546
February 2025
10.5%
1,197
10,173
11,370
January 2025
9.9%
1,128
10,294
11,422
December 2024
8.3%
954
10,577
11,531
November 2024
6.5%
772
11,118
11,890
October 2024
5.9%
727
11,543
12,270
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
7.4%
896
11,185
12,081
2024
6.9%
835
11,243
12,078
2023
6.0%
691
10,744
11,435
2022
6.8%
739
10,179
10,918
2021
7.5%
828
10,243
11,071
2020
11.2%
1,304
10,297
11,601
2019
6.0%
725
11,295
12,020
2018
6.3%
750
11,234
11,984
2017
7.0%
849
11,276
12,125
2016
7.3%
903
11,391
12,294
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Michigan's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 5.0% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Oceana County
305.0 per 100,0002020. Michigan: 478.0.
1,381.7 per 100,0002020. Michigan: 1,360.9.
0murders2020, 83 violent crimes in all.
2020 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2020
83
305.0
376
1,381.7
2019
76
277.3
375
1,368.3
2018
65
238.0
359
1,314.3
By police agency (6)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Oceana County Sheriff's Office
2025
37
107
20,075
Shelby Police Department
2025
2
27
2,178
Hart Police Department
2024
9
79
2,055
Pentwater Police Department
2025
5
4
899
New Era Police Department
2025
0
0
463
Rothbury Police Department
2025
0
6
452
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Michigan · the U.S.
Police staffing
1.48 per 1,000 residents2025, 7 agencies serving 26,403 people.
39sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
16civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (7), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Oceana County Sheriff's Office
22
16
20,075
Hart Police Department
6
0
2,060
Rothbury Police Department
4
0
452
Pentwater Police Department
3
0
899
Shelby Police Department
3
0
2,178
New Era Police Department
1
0
463
Walkerville Police Department
0
0
276
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
39
1.48
16
7
2020
32
1.25
15
6
2018
34
1.33
14
6
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Oceana County County Clerk?
Melanie Vega Coon (Republican) is the County Clerk of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who is the Oceana County Drain Commissioner?
Michelle Martin (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who is the Oceana County Register of Deeds?
Richard A. Hodges (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who is the Oceana County Sheriff?
Craig Mast (Republican) is the Sheriff of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who is the Oceana County County Surveyor?
Alex S. Altmaier (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who is the Oceana County County Treasurer?
Mary Lou Phillips (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Oceana County, Michigan.
Who are the Oceana County commissioners?
Timothy Beggs (District 1); Craig A. Hardy (District 3); Paul Erickson (District 4); Robert H. Walker (District 5).
What is the population of Oceana County?
About 26,915 people, with a median age of 44.2; the median household income is $62,417 and 13.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Oceana County?
4.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 538 people unemployed in a labor force of 11,179, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Oceana County?
32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 16 township, 4 school district and 4 special district governments.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county clerk's official results of the November 5, 2024 general election (certified by the county board of canvassers); officials appointed since then may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Oceana County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races