| Official Name: | Onaway, Michigan |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Label: | Onaway |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Government Type: | City council |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Charles Abshagen |
| Established Title: | Incorporated |
| Established Date: | 1899 (village) 1903 (city) |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Presque Isle |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 4.22 |
| Area Land Km2: | 4.22 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.63 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.63 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 890 |
| Population Density Km2: | 210.95 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 546.35 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 259 |
| Elevation Ft: | 850 |
| Coordinates: | 45.3569°N -84.2258°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 49765 |
| Area Code: | 989 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-60680[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0634060[3] |
Onaway is a city in Presque Isle County, just east of the Cheboygan–Presque Isle county line in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 880 at the 2010 census. Onaway is the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan, and there is a lake sturgeon streamside rearing facility on the nearby Black River, where the fish migrate down to the Cheboygan River and then to Lake Huron.
This farming community received a post office open on October 23, 1882 with civil engineer Thomas E. Shaw as postmaster. This office was named Shaw for him. Arriving in 1886, Merritt Chandler had platted the community under the name of Onaway. Chandler took over as postmaster with it changing its name to Onaway on March 29, 1890. On August 18, 1893, Shaw took back the postmaster position and changed the office's name to Adalaska. Once again, the post office was renamed back to Onaway on November 15, 1897. Onaway was incorporated as a village in 1899. Onaway soon became a city in 1903.[4] At the beginning of the twentieth century Onaway was home to one of the world's largest wooden automobile steering wheel manufacturers, producing approximately 65% of the world's wooden steering wheels.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.57sqmi, all land.[5] The boundary of Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties is just west of the city.
As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 880 people, 394 households, and 214 families residing in the city. The population density was 560.5PD/sqmi. There were 495 housing units at an average density of 315.3/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.7% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.
There were 394 households, of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.7% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the city was 43.6 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 29.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 993 people, 448 households, and 237 families residing in the city. The population density was 585.6sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 525 housing units at an average density of 309.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 96.37% White, 1.31% Native American, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.
There were 448 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% were non-families. 42.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,787, and the median income for a family was $26,786. Males had a median income of $26,932 versus $18,958 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,552. About 20.3% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
All of the following can be accessed in Onaway, Michigan.
| Call Sign | Frequency | City Broadcast From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTLI | 89.3 | Bear Creek Township | |
| WPHN | 90.5 | Gaylord | |
| WCML | 91.7 | Alpena | |
| WFDX | 92.5 | Atlanta | |
| WBCM | 93.5 | Boyne City | |
| WKJZ | 94.9 | Hillman | |
| WLXT | 96.3 | Petoskey | |
| WRGZ | 96.7 | Rogers City | |
| WAWM | 98.9 | Petoskey | |
| WHAK | 99.9 | Rogers City | |
| WMJZ | 101.5 | Gaylord | |
| WMKC | 102.9 | Indian River | |
| WGFM | 105.1 | Cheboygan | |
| WHSB | 107.7 | Alpena |
| Call Sign | Frequency | City Broadcast From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTCM | 580 | Traverse City | |
| WOUF | 750 | Petoskey | |
| WHAK | 960 | Rogers City | |
| WJML | 1110 | Petoskey |
The nearest commercial airports to Onaway are Alpena County Regional Airport, Cherry Capital Airport (Traverse City) and Pellston Airport.