Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.

Get insights →
Traffic heat map of Ontonagon County, Michigan: 151 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on M 26 / M 38 and Steel Street

Ontonagon County, Michigan Traffic Counts

Traffic analytics for Ontonagon County, Michigan, calculated from real-world mobile and sensor networks on 1,470 road segments (151 road miles, about 543 ft each). Its roads are the quietest of any county in Michigan, at 1,229 vehicles a day on average. Use the figures below to move from assumptions to certainty on retail locations, logistics and road planning.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
Find my place
total traffic icon

Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Ontonagon County, Michigan

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day1,229
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

12.2%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

38.1 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

3.7%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

61.8 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$50,645

A typical monitored road in Ontonagon County, Michigan sees 1,229 vehicles per day, while its 151 miles of monitored roads together handle 206,890 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈75.5 million per year). Freight weighs heavily here: trucks are 12.2% of traffic, against 7.7% across Michigan.

The quietest roads of any county in Michigan

At 1,229 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Ontonagon carries 84% less traffic than the state average of 7,697, suggesting less demand on each road - very light roads: easy truck access, but little passing trade for roadside retail. Network-wide, Ontonagon accounts for less than 0.1% of Michigan's statewide total of vehicle-miles. Ontonagon stands out as having the lowest traffic volume in Michigan - 1,229 vehicles per day.

At 38.1 minutes, the average travel time is 13% higher than the state level. 96% of counties in Michigan have a shorter average travel time than Ontonagon's 38.1 minutes.

Congestion runs 80% lower than the state level, at a ratio of 3.7%, which means smoother traffic flow - free-flowing roads make scheduled deliveries highly predictable.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Ontonagon County, Michigan

Trafficvehicles per day1,615
Trucks13.3%
Average travel time43.7 min
Congestion ratio4.0%
Drivers’ average age61.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income$50,244

A little more than half of the driving in Ontonagon County, Michigan happens on highways: 64% of all vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 1,615 vehicles per day, 85% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 873 vehicles per day.

Highways also make up about 55% of the monitored road miles: 84 miles in 706 segments, together carrying 132,033 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈48.2 million per year).

Fewer highway trucks than 99% of counties in Michigan

Highway truck concentration here runs 11% higher than the state average, at 13.3%. The highway traffic mix is typical for Michigan: neither freight- nor commuter-dominated.

81% of counties in Michigan see a lower highway truck share than Ontonagon's 13.3%. 99% of counties in Michigan see more highway trucks per day than Ontonagon's roughly 215.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Ontonagon County, Michigan

Trafficvehicles per day873
Trucks10.1%
Average travel time32.9 min
Congestion ratio3.4%
Drivers’ average age61.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income$51,697

A significant share of driving in Ontonagon County, Michigan, 36% of vehicle-miles, happens on local roads. The average non-highway road carries 873 vehicles per day.

Local roads also make up about 45% of the monitored road miles: 67 miles in 764 segments, together carrying 74,857 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈27.3 million per year). The truck share on non-highway roads is 10.1%.

The oldest drivers of any county in Michigan

The concentration of trucks on non-highway roads is 24% lower than on highways.

At 81% lower than the state level, the non-highway congestion ratio of 3.4% signals easier movement on local roads.

96% of counties in Michigan see higher average driver income among trip origins than Ontonagon. Ontonagon has the highest median driver age in Michigan - 62 years.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 10:00 AM–12:00 PM and PM peak 4:00 PM–6:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 103% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are somewhat quieter: volumes run about 12% below weekday levels, the usual weekend dip.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
July–September is the high season, with volumes +33% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -27% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Ontonagon County, Michigan, the peak hour concentrates about 8% of the day's traffic, and there is a strong seasonal swing of +33% in high season.

Ontonagon County vs. Michigan Traffic Comparison

Of the four measures, average daily traffic per road differs most: Ontonagon County runs 84% below the Michigan average. Its truck share, by contrast, is 58% above.

MetricOntonagon CountyMichigan averageDifference
Traffic1,2297,697-84.0%
Truck % (Total Traffic)12.2%7.7%+58.1%
Truck % (Highway)13.3%12.0%+11.3%
Avg. Travel Time38.1 min33.6 min+13.4%

How Ontonagon County compares

Ontonagon County is the least congested of its nearby counties

Compared with its 4 closest neighbours, Ontonagon County is 58.8% less congested and carries 54.5% less traffic on a typical road; it has the quietest roads of the five. Quiet roads and long journeys - a rural pattern, where the distance between destinations rather than the traffic on the way is what takes the time.

Ontonagon County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Michigan average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Ontonagon County1,22912.2%206,89038.1 min3.7%
Gogebic County, Michigan2,1029.9%250,22430.2 min6.6%
Houghton County, Michigan3,2427.7%527,96429.1 min11.5%
Vilas County, Wisconsin2,5518.8%627,87830.2 min8.1%
Baraga County, Michigan2,90011.8%268,80937.6 min10.0%
Michigan average7,6977.7%N/A33.6 min18.5%

Ontonagon County ranked within Michigan

No other county-level area in Michigan records a higher average driver age than Ontonagon County.

Ontonagon County ranked among 83 county-level areas in Michigan (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 74.
MeasureOntonagon CountyMichigan rank
Traffic volume (AADT)1,229#83 of 83
Highway vehicle-miles per day132,033#67 of 74
Truck share on highways13.3%#15 of 74
Highway trucks per day215#73 of 74
Average travel time38.1 min#4 of 83
Average driver income$50,645#80 of 83
Average driver age61.8 yrs#1 of 83

Ontonagon County ranks #4 of 83 on average travel time but #83 of 83 on average daily traffic volume. Some of the longest trips in Michigan on some of its emptiest roads - distance, not congestion, is what sets travel time here.

Busiest roads in Ontonagon County, Michigan

On their busiest stretches, the three busiest roads in Ontonagon County carry 2,550 vehicles a day on average, 2.1 times the typical road in the county (1,229).

M 26 / M 38 is the busiest road, at 2,703 vehicles a day, 222 of them trucks (8.2%). Steel Street is practically level with it at 2,625. US 45 carries the most trucks, 264 a day (14.2% of its traffic), although it is not among the 5 busiest roads overall.

Trips using M 26 / M 38 are long: a median of 67.9 minutes against 38.1 county-wide, the mark of a through route.

Drivers on M 26 come from neighborhoods with an average household income of $74,746, 48% above the county average of $50,645.

M 26 skews younger: its drivers' median age is 50.1, compared with 61.8 county-wide.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1M 26 / M 38Primary road · 2,703vehicles222trucks · 8.2%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
6.4%
Median trip time
67.9 min

M 26 / M 38 carries 2.2 times the county average on its busiest stretch, where the median trip lasts 67.9 minutes.

2Steel StreetTrunk road · 2,625vehicles215trucks · 8.2%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
6.1%
Median trip time
21.8 min
Drivers’ median age
61.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$49,955

Steel Street carries 2.1 times the county average on its busiest stretch, where the median trip lasts 21.8 minutes.

3River StreetTrunk road · 2,324vehicles189trucks · 8.2%
Road class
Trunk road
Median trip time
20.3 min
Drivers’ median age
60.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$50,714

Trips on River Street are short, a median 20.3 minutes against 38.1 county-wide, so it mostly serves local errands and commutes.

4M 28 / M 64Trunk road · 2,047vehicles230trucks · 11.3%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
5.0%
Median trip time
39.8 min
Drivers’ median age
61.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$51,195

M 28 / M 64 carries 66% more than the county average at its busiest, 230 of them trucks (11.3%, below the county-wide 12.2%).

5M 26Primary road · 1,916vehicles215trucks · 11.2%
Road class
Primary road
Median trip time
64.9 min
Drivers’ median age
50.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$74,746

M 26 carries through traffic: the median trip using it lasts 64.9 minutes, against 38.1 for the county.

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1US 45Trunk road · 1,866vehicles264trucks · 14.2%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
3.9%
Median trip time
50.2 min
Drivers’ median age
62.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$49,736

US 45 carries 52% more than the county average on its busiest stretch, where the median trip lasts 50.2 minutes.

2M 28 / M 64Trunk road · #4 by traffic2,047vehicles230trucks · 11.3%
3M 26 / M 38Primary road · #1 by traffic2,703vehicles222trucks · 8.2%
4M 26Primary road · #5 by traffic1,916vehicles215trucks · 11.2%
5Steel StreetTrunk road · #2 by traffic2,625vehicles215trucks · 8.2%
How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

OntonagonDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
link arrow icon
Data current as of:
Q3 2026

Explore further

TrafficZoom platform

— street-level analytics and custom corridor reports.

Map AI

— demographics, housing and mobility data.

Counties near Ontonagon County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Ontonagon County, Michigan.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.