Population 13,098 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pontiac
Household size in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.21 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Pontiac is a place of small households, averaging 2.22 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.29 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.1 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Pontiac is 43.0 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 39.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Pontiac than nationally: 13.6%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.5 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Pontiac
Renters in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.2% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.4% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Pontiac is about as common as it is nationally: 33.4% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 45.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. The renter share is up 7.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Pontiac is close to the national rate: 10.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Illinois overall (8.1%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Pontiac is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $594 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $607 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $718 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $865 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$271 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pontiac costs $865 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $271 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Pontiac
Bachelor's degrees in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Pontiac have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 38 have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.0% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Pontiac never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Pontiac has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Illinois cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Pontiac
| Period | Pontiac | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Pontiac than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Pontiac compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac | 2.22 | 43.0 | 13.6% | 33.4% | 10.5% | 1964 | $865 | 17.1% | 85.0% | 3.6% |
| McDowell | 2.63 | 39.8 | 19.9% | 7.6% | 13.7% | 1969 | $750 | 21.4% | 99.5% | 0.0% |
| Swygert | 2.85 | 31.8 | 15.6% | 15.7% | 5.7% | 1949 | $887 | 18.0% | 96.4% | 1.0% |
| Rowe | 2.55 | 38.1 | 13.9% | 14.4% | 7.0% | 1969 | $892 | 21.9% | 88.7% | 7.3% |
| Ocoya | 2.63 | 36.8 | 1.4% | 23.0% | 3.2% | 1956 | $741 | 49.1% | 97.2% | 8.2% |
| Graymont | 2.48 | 39.5 | 4.2% | 20.1% | 6.0% | 1950 | $808 | 39.6% | 95.3% | 5.2% |
| Rugby | 2.81 | 32.2 | 12.3% | 13.2% | 4.7% | 1946 | $1,025 | 17.8% | 96.6% | 2.3% |
| Odell | 2.54 | 41.3 | 13.8% | 14.6% | 10.3% | 1939 | $953 | 12.3% | 92.9% | 2.2% |
| Chenoa | 2.53 | 40.1 | 8.6% | 18.4% | 10.8% | 1957 | $1,116 | 28.7% | 94.5% | 3.7% |
| Weston | 2.46 | 42.6 | 8.4% | 21.7% | 18.6% | 1950 | $982 | 31.3% | 98.3% | 1.1% |
| Cornell | 2.23 | 45.3 | 7.1% | 18.8% | 6.8% | 1958 | $1,082 | 16.1% | 90.4% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Upper Grand Lagoon, FL · Fayetteville, NY · Forestville, MD · Foristell, MO · Fort Bragg, CA · Fort Campbell North, KY · Fort Lupton, CO · Tarrytown, NY · Tomah, WI · Toney, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Pontiac. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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