Ottawa Hills
Surrounded by nature
Median $670K·Walkability 4.8/10·Schools 3.9/10
By 1972 several Grand Rapids neighborhoods were sliding, and a group of residents on the southeast side decided not to let theirs follow. They formed the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood Association to protect the area's distinctive features — the curving streets, the setback lots, the historic-revival houses — and to organize the collective upkeep that keeps a place intact. More than fifty years on, the association still runs a full calendar of neighborhood work and gathering: an annual garden tour, an ice cream social, tree plantings, a neighborhood-wide garage sale, and a spring clean-up. Its signature event predates the association by decades. The Hollyhock Lane Parade began as a children's bicycle procession during the Great Depression and has grown into what is billed as Michigan's longest-running Independence Day parade, drawing spectators from across the city each Fourth of July. The association covers the blocks bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Street on the north, the Grand Rapids city limits near Cadillac Drive on the east, Hall Street on the south, and Giddings Avenue on the west — the same footprint platted in the early 1900s on the old Grand Rapids Golf Club grounds. Volunteers handle board business, publish minutes, and keep the events running year to year, the ordinary machinery that has held this district together since the early 1970s. For the streets, architecture, and layout of the neighborhood itself, see the Ottawa Hills neighborhood page.
Why people love it here
Near the water
- Reeds Lake — 1.4 mi
- 30 parks within 1 mile
- Martin Luther King Jr. Park: 10 min walk
- Hall Street trail: 12 min walk
$670K median
- 6 sales in last 12mo
City MiddleHigh
- High — 3.6 mi away
- Grand Rapids
- 9 rated schools in district
Notable nearby
Explore Ottawa Hills
Same name, different focus — Ottawa Hills is also covered as:
- Ottawa Hills Neighborhood — the neighborhood — homes for sale and what it's like to live there
Conventional Mortgage Calculator
Median home price in Ottawa Hills
Estimated Monthly Payment
$4,548/mo
Property tax and insurance are estimates you can edit — not a quote. Tap either figure to enter your own.
The interest rate shown is not an annual percentage rate (APR). Rate displayed is the current average 30-year fixed rate from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey and is subject to change without notice. Your actual rate, payment, and costs may vary. Contact a loan officer for a personalized quote.
Guild Mortgage NMLS #3274. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS Consumer Access. Not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to underwriter approval; terms and conditions may apply. Subject to change without notice. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deduction.
6 homes sold in Ottawa Hills this year. Thinking of selling?
See what your home is worthNearest Park
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
0.2 mi
Parks Nearby
30
within 1 mile
Nearest Lake
Reeds Lake
1.4 mi
Based on 25 rated schools nearby
Range: 1/10 to 8/10
School District: Grand Rapids Public Schools
Walkability
Fair
Overall walkability score out of 10
Based on actual walk/bike/drive times to nearby amenities via Mapbox
bp
Delightful Eats
+1 more
Last Mile Cafe
Mulligan's Pub
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
Unnamed playground
Fisk Lake
Unnamed beach
Hall Street trail
Hillcrest Dog Park
Unnamed bike_path
Butterworth Park Launch
The Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse
Hall/Giddings (WB)
+1 more
CVS Pharmacy
Ottawa Hills Public Library
+1 more
daycare
Wealthy Theater
Crime in Ottawa Hills is reported at the city level, not the neighborhood level. The FBI doesn't publish reliable crime rates for individual neighborhoods, and within any community crime varies street to street. For an accurate, comparable picture, see the jurisdiction-wide figures for Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids crime & safety stats →To buy a median-priced Ottawa Hills home (around $670,000) at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, you'd need roughly $120k/year in household income to qualify — an estimated monthly payment of $4,516 (principal, interest, property tax est., and insurance).
| Down payment | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | $4,516/mo | $120,439 |
| 10% (+PMI) | $5,198/mo | $138,621 |
| 5% (+PMI) | $5,428/mo | $144,734 |
Estimates use a 6.66% 30-year fixed rate (current Freddie Mac average), an aggressive ~45% housing-to-income ratio (roughly what FHA underwriting can allow for a buyer with no other monthly debts — your number depends on your debts and credit), this area's median sale price, plus estimated insurance and PMI below 20% down. Not a commitment to lend, and not an APR — your actual rate and payment will vary.
Who actually lends in Ottawa Hills, and how homes here are financed — from 2024 federal mortgage records.
Loans to buy a home
Most active lenders
Source: 2024 HMDA (CFPB/FFIEC). Neighborhood figures are area-weighted estimates from census-tract data; loan amounts are rounded and all-cash purchases are excluded.
Neighborhood Association
Ottawa Hills Neighborhood Association
Long-standing association serving Ottawa Hills on the SE side.
Source: nabooklet2020
Association and local-government details are compiled from public records, municipal sites, and state registries, and can change. Confirm directly with the association or municipality before relying on them.
Solar potential
~$844/yr in electricity from a typical rooftop solar system
Produces ~6,158 kWh/yr · offsets ~59% of a typical home's use
Municipal / public water
Based on assessor parcel records
Municipal sewer
Based on assessor parcel records
City of Grand Rapids Refuse & Recycling
City-run refuse/recycling cart program for residents.
Consumers Energy Co · ~13.7¢/kWh
Investor-owned utility serving the region.
Confirm by addressDTE Energy
DTE Gas serves much of Grand Rapids natural gas; verify by address.
Confirm by addressServices for Grand Rapids · Source: grandrapidsmi.gov
Utility, solar, and service details for Ottawa Hills are compiled from public records, municipal sites, and NREL / U.S. data.gov, and can change. Electric/gas can vary by address — confirm with the provider before relying on them.
🛒 Grocery(29)
+26 more within 5 miles
🍕 Restaurants(13)
Delightful Eats
Restaurant
BJ's Urban Kitchen
Restaurant
7 Mares
Restaurant
Wishes Food-Snacks-And More
Restaurant
Gallafe
Restaurant
+8 more within 5 miles
☕ Coffee(9)
+6 more within 5 miles
🍺 Bars(8)
+5 more within 5 miles
🏫 Schools(27)
Grand Rapids Public Schools
Campus Elementary School (Grand Rapids Public School)
School
Campus Elementary School
School
Alexander Elementary School (Closed 2011)
School
Sigsbee School
+22 more within 5 miles
💪 Gyms(15)
Fitness Center
REVfit
Fitness Center
8th Day Gym
Fitness Center
+12 more within 5 miles
🐕 Dog Parks(9)
Hillcrest Dog Park
Dog Park
Downtown Westside Dog Park
Dog Park
Dog Park in Kragt Plat Area
Dog Park
+6 more within 5 miles
🚴 Trails(7)
Reeds Lake Trail
Bike Path
Unnamed bike_path
Bike Path
Albert-Realtors Hall St. Sub. Area Trail
Bike Path
+4 more within 5 miles
⛵ Boat Launches(2)
Boat Launch
Boat Launch
🚌 Transit(30)
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
+27 more within 5 miles
💊 Pharmacies(15)
+12 more within 5 miles
👶 Childcare(3)
📚 Libraries(12)
+9 more within 5 miles
Atlas — Grand Rapids Real Estate
Local real estate specialists
Questions about Ottawa Hills? Our team can help with availability, schools, and what it's really like to live here.
Frequently asked about Ottawa Hills
- What do homes cost in Ottawa Hills?
- The median home value in Ottawa Hills is about $670,000. Individual prices vary by street, size, and condition.
- How active is the Ottawa Hills housing market?
- there are 3 homes for sale in Ottawa Hills right now, and 6 homes sold here in the last 12 months. Listings refresh throughout the day from the MichRIC MLS.
- What schools serve Ottawa Hills?
- Ottawa Hills is served by Grand Rapids Public Schools. Its highest-rated assigned school is City MiddleHigh (8/10).
- Is Ottawa Hills walkable?
- Ottawa Hills scores 4.8/10 for walkability — a measure of walking, biking, and driving access to groceries, dining, parks, schools, and transit.
Top contributors in Ottawa Hills
Detailed statistics are being computed for this location. Demographics, home values, schools, flood risk, and more will appear here automatically.