Ottawa Hills
Surrounded by nature
2 homes for sale·Median $775K·Walkability 4.8/10·Schools 4.7/10
The streets give the game away: Mackinaw, Chippewa, Seminole, Pontiac, Cadillac. They wind rather than run straight because they trace the old fairways of the Grand Rapids Golf Club, which occupied this southeast-side rise until the land was platted for houses in the early 1900s. The first homes went up in 1922, and construction rolled on into the 1950s, so the housing reads as a catalog of 1920s revival taste — English Tudor and medieval cottage styles in abundance, with scattered Georgian, French Eclectic, and Southern Colonial designs, and at least one Italian Renaissance flourish. Homes sit well back from the street on generous, gently curving lots, which gives the blocks a wooded, unhurried feel that the straight grid of newer neighborhoods lacks. At the center stands the former Ottawa Hills High School, a Renaissance-style building completed by 1925 to designs by Harvard-trained architect Henry H. Turner and his partner Victor Thebaud. The neighborhood runs roughly between Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Hall Street, out to the eastern city limits near Cadillac Drive, with Alger Heights and its shops a short way south. Public schools here fall within Grand Rapids Public Schools. It is a place best understood on foot, where the curve of a street and the pitch of a Tudor roofline still carry the memory of the golf course underneath. To read about the neighborhood association and its long-running Fourth of July parade, see the Ottawa Hills association 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
$775K median
- 8 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 Association — the neighborhood association — community events, meetings, and who represents the area
Mortgage Calculator
Median home price in Ottawa Hills
Estimated Monthly Payment
$5,261/mo
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. This is not a commitment to lend or an offer of credit. Your actual rate, payment, and costs may vary. Contact a loan officer for a personalized quote.
Guild Mortgage NMLS #3274. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS Consumer Access
8 homes sold in Ottawa Hills this year. Thinking of selling?
See what your home is worthFlood Risk
None
Not in flood zone
Nearest Park
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
0.3 mi
Parks Nearby
30
within 1 mile
Nearest Lake
Reeds Lake
1.4 mi
Based on 30 rated schools nearby
Range: 1/10 to 9/10
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
Brown Butter Creperie and Cafe
Billy's Lounge
+1 more
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
+1 more
Martin Luther King Jr. Park Playground
Fisk Lake
+1 more
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 $775,000) at today's 6.43% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, you'd need roughly $137k/year in household income to qualify — an estimated monthly payment of $5,130 (principal, interest, property tax est., and insurance).
| Down payment | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | $5,130/mo | $136,809 |
| 10% (+PMI) | $5,907/mo | $157,526 |
| 5% (+PMI) | $6,167/mo | $164,441 |
Estimates use a 6.43% 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 an APR or a commitment to lend — 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
City of Grand Rapids Water System
Regional water provider serving ~280,000 across Kent and Ottawa counties.
City of Grand Rapids Environmental Services (Water Resource Recovery Facility)
WRRF treats ~40 MGD of wastewater.
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(15)
Delightful Eats
Restaurant
BJ's Urban Kitchen
Restaurant
7 Mares
Restaurant
Wishes Food-Snacks-And More
Restaurant
Gallafe
Restaurant
+10 more within 5 miles
☕ Coffee(17)
+14 more within 5 miles
🍺 Bars(18)
+15 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
🌳 Parks(4)
+1 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
Frequently asked about Ottawa Hills
- What do homes cost in Ottawa Hills?
- The median home value in Ottawa Hills is about $775,000. Individual prices vary by street, size, and condition.
- How active is the Ottawa Hills housing market?
- there are 2 homes for sale in Ottawa Hills right now, and 8 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.
