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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS

Pontiac Micro

Pontiac, IL · 1 counties · 35,815 residents · 1,044 sq mi
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The short version

With 35,815 people, Pontiac is a metro area. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $114,000. 2% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. At a median age of 42.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

35,815
−10%since 2000
from 39,678 in 2000
1990 – 2025
34 / sq mi
−10%since 2000
from 38 / sq mi in 2000
42.4
+14%since 2000
from 37.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,044 sq mi
Population, 19902024
35K36K38K39K40K19902000201020202024Pontiac
202436K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.9%(2,113)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(2,099)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.2%(2,238)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.1%(2,198)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(1,852)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.9%(4,246)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.7%(4,188)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.7%(4,196)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.4%(5,528)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.2%(4,021)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.8%(2,094)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.9%(1,042)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$58,676
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,342 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$29,646
+62%since 2000
from $18,347 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
38.1%
+11.4 ptssince 2009
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
12.9%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17%
US avg: 10%
Information10.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.5%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction6.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance5.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration4.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$114,000
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$745
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $464 in 2000
US average: $1,124
73.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
26.7% rent
2.33 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
1.9
−2%since 2009
from 2.0 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-Hispanic91.1%(36,145)
Black5.1%(2,032)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(1,056)
Asian0.3%(121)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic88%(31,518)
Black3%(1,081)
Hispanic / Latino5.2%(1,859)
Asian0.5%(171)
Other1.6%(586)
26
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.5%(1,242)
Puerto Rican0.9%(325)
Salvadoran0.2%(55)
Cuban0%(6)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(124)
Pakistani0.2%(73)
Filipino0.2%(69)
Cambodian0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
German34%(12,151)
Irish17.5%(6,267)
English9.3%(3,313)
American5.9%(2,122)
Italian4.3%(1,555)
Polish3.1%(1,093)
French1.8%(652)
Norwegian1.6%(577)
Swiss1.4%(486)
Scottish1.1%(408)
Slovak1.1%(380)
Swedish1%(357)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1%(353)
Dutch1%(343)
Danish0.9%(311)
British0.7%(241)
West Indian0.5%(176)
Haitian0.5%(162)
Austrian0.4%(133)
Russian0.3%(121)
Welsh0.3%(99)
Hungarian0.2%(83)
Croatian0.2%(74)
Belgian0.2%(66)
Ukrainian0.2%(61)
Lithuanian0.1%(25)
Kenyan0.1%(25)
Greek0.1%(21)
Lebanese0.1%(20)
Syrian0.1%(19)
Slovene0.1%(19)
Canadian0%(11)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Jamaican0%(11)
Finnish0%(6)
Arab0%(1)
Section 05

Education

16.6%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
89.8%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 78.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
5.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

22.1 min
+46%since 2000
from 15.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
81.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
6.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.9%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
57.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2011
from 57.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.3%
US average: 73.3%
28.4%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

51.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
48.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
1.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
4.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2013
from 7.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.8%
US average: 91.9%
89.5%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married35.3%(5,290)
Married50.2%(7,527)
Widowed3.7%(557)
Divorced10.8%(1,624)
Women 15+
Never married23.1%(3,288)
Married51.6%(7,352)
Widowed11.3%(1,605)
Divorced14%(1,994)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

4.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2013
from 7.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
57.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
18.6%
US average: 13.7%
22.1%
US average: 17.6%
18.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
73.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
38.1%
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)13.9%(347)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)15.1%(378)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.8%(969)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War11.4%(284)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.3%(83)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,500 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.

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Pontiac, IL?

Pontiac, IL has about 35,815 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Pontiac, IL?

The typical household in Pontiac, IL earns about $58,676 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pontiac, IL expensive?

In Pontiac, IL, the median home is worth about $114,000, and the typical rent is about $745 a month.

How educated are people in Pontiac, IL?

About 16.6% of adults age 25 and over in Pontiac, IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Pontiac, IL?

About 12.9% of people in Pontiac, IL live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pontiac, IL grown since 1990?

Yes, Pontiac, IL has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,486 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →