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CITY · 2020 ACS

Pontiac

Michigan · 61,606 residents · 19.9 sq mi
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The short version

Pontiac is a city of 61,606 people in Michigan. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. 27.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Median home value sits at $73,800. That trails the Michigan median by roughly 41%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 33.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

61,606
−7%since 2000
from 66,337 in 2000
1990 – 2025
33.8
+13%since 2000
from 30.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
19.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
58K62K65K69K72K19902000201020202024Pontiac
202462K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 57.4%(4,542)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.5%(4,612)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147%(4,343)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.3%(3,885)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.2%(4,411)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.2%(9,980)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.2%(7,494)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.6%(7,776)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.9%(7,352)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.5%(4,596)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.1%(1,901)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.2%(714)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$34,673
−26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,207 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$20,369
+29%since 2000
from $15,842 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
19.2%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
27.9%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 22.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17.6%
US avg: 10%
Information12.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$73,800
−33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$811
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $554 in 2000
US average: $1,124
42.5%
−10.2 ptssince 2000
from 52.8% in 2000
57.5% rent
2.45 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.55 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.1
−29%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic34.5%(22,875)
Black47.4%(31,416)
Hispanic / Latino12.8%(8,463)
Asian2.4%(1,576)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic23.5%(14,448)
Black47.1%(29,046)
Hispanic / Latino21.8%(13,457)
Asian2.3%(1,408)
Other5.9%(3,652)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican11.5%(6,844)
Puerto Rican4.5%(2,667)
Central American2.1%(1,252)
Salvadoran1.5%(915)
Honduran0.5%(322)
Cuban0.2%(104)
Colombian0%(12)
Asian origin
Hmong1.4%(818)
Filipino0.5%(300)
Asian Indian0.5%(278)
Laotian0.2%(102)
Chinese0.2%(99)
Pakistani0.1%(48)
Vietnamese0.1%(32)
Thai0%(20)
Korean0%(19)
Japanese0%(10)
Ancestry
German5.4%(3,221)
Irish4.1%(2,420)
English3.3%(2,000)
American1.9%(1,106)
Polish1.8%(1,100)
French1.4%(834)
Italian1.1%(641)
Scottish0.9%(538)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(355)
West Indian0.5%(304)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Jamaican0.4%(262)
Ukrainian0.4%(255)
Swedish0.4%(248)
Dutch0.4%(225)
Russian0.4%(223)
Hungarian0.3%(184)
Moroccan0.3%(154)
British0.2%(132)
Canadian0.2%(123)
Norwegian0.2%(114)
Nigerian0.2%(111)
Welsh0.2%(93)
Romanian0.1%(84)
Iraqi0.1%(82)
Finnish0.1%(76)
Brazilian0.1%(66)
Lebanese0.1%(57)
Slovak0.1%(48)
Czech0.1%(47)
Danish0.1%(37)
Belgian0%(25)
Croatian0%(25)
Haitian0%(25)
Slovene0%(15)
Jordanian0%(14)
Greek0%(14)
Iranian0%(8)
Latvian0%(8)
Turkish0%(7)
Syrian0%(6)
Swiss0%(4)
Section 05

Education

13.5%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
79.2%
+10.3 ptssince 2000
from 68.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
4.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.9 min
+50%since 2000
from 14.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
73.4%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 76.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
18.1%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

11.0%
−10.6 ptssince 2011
from 21.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 61.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.1%
US average: 73.3%
20.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

47.9%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
52.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
9.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
13.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 19.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
84.0%
US average: 91.9%
81.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married56.6%(14,259)
Married30.3%(7,637)
Widowed1.9%(483)
Divorced11.1%(2,793)
Women 15+
Never married49.4%(12,470)
Married25.3%(6,395)
Widowed8.3%(2,089)
Divorced17%(4,302)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

13.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 19.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
38.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
9.8%
US average: 13.7%
16.8%
US average: 17.6%
40.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
46.9%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
51.8%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)9.7%(185)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20.5%(390)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era32.6%(622)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War3.9%(75)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0.5%(9)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,906 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Pontiac, Michigan?

Pontiac, Michigan has about 61,606 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Pontiac, Michigan?

The typical household in Pontiac, Michigan earns about $34,673 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pontiac, Michigan expensive?

In Pontiac, Michigan, the median home is worth about $73,800, and the typical rent is about $811 a month.

How educated are people in Pontiac, Michigan?

About 13.5% of adults age 25 and over in Pontiac, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Pontiac, Michigan?

About 27.9% of people in Pontiac, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pontiac, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Pontiac, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 9,560 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →