Pontiac, IL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Pontiac. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Pontiac compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Pontiac, Illinois

Cost of living in Pontiac research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Pontiac is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

87 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#43 Cheapest in Illinois (of 336)
#600 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$150,833 Median home value
$842 Median rent
$61,279 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Pontiac, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pontiac has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Pontiac has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 98.

The standard of living in Pontiac ranks as #43 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Pontiac ranks as the #293 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Pontiac, check out:

Pontiac Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Pontiac. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Pontiac is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Pontiac is 100.

  • The Health index in Pontiac is 63.

  • The Housing index in Pontiac is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Pontiac is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Pontiac is 97.

Living Expense Pontiac Illinois National Average
Overall 87 98 100
Services 99 99 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 63 96 100
Housing 96 101 100
Transportation 101 99 100
Utilities 97 101 100

Pontiac Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages

Services
Pontiac 99
Illinois avg 99
Groceries
Pontiac 100
Illinois avg 99
Health
Pontiac 63
Illinois avg 96
Housing
Pontiac 96
Illinois avg 101
Transportation
Pontiac 101
Illinois avg 99
Utilities
Pontiac 97
Illinois avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Pontiac, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

$150,833Median Home Value
$842Median Rent
$61,279Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Pontiac is $150,833.

  • The Median Rent in Pontiac is $842.

  • The Median Income in Pontiac is $61,279.

  • The Home Value To Income in Pontiac is 2.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Pontiac is 0.16x.

Statistic Pontiac Illinois United States
Median Home Value $150,833 $285,735 $332,700
Median Rent $842 $1,274 $1,413
Median Income $61,279 $83,390 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.5x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.18x 0.21x

Pontiac, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Pontiac Services costs vs. Illinois
Item Pontiac Illinois
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $10.08 $12.13
Bowling $17.74 $18
Haircut $30.34 $24.26
Beauty Salon $42.25 $45.56
Detailed Pontiac Groceries costs vs. Illinois
Item Pontiac Illinois
Ground Beef $6.21 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.57 $1.57
Milk $4.84 $4.67
Potatoes $4.83 $4.93
Pizza $13.11 $12.09
Beer $9.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.93 $3.7
Detailed Pontiac Health costs vs. Illinois
Item Pontiac Illinois
Optometrist $242.88 $125.68
Doctor $139.32 $135.78
Dentist $123.04 $113.29
Detailed Pontiac Transportation costs vs. Illinois
Item Pontiac Illinois
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.15 $59.92
Detailed Pontiac Utilities costs vs. Illinois
Item Pontiac Illinois
All Electricity $145.92 $193.99
Phone $198.19 $192.25

Pontiac SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 5/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 7/10
Safety 8/10
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 5/10
Commute 9.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pontiac

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Pontiac. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Bloomington, IL has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Pontiac.

  • Normal, IL has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Pontiac.

  • Shorewood, IL has a cost of living index of 120, 1.4x Pontiac.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Pontiac
Bloomington, IL 78,907 95 1.1x
Normal, IL 53,569 96 1.1x
Shorewood, IL 18,343 120 1.4x
Morton, IL 16,595 103 1.2x
Washington, IL 15,919 102 1.2x
Channahon, IL 13,927 110 1.3x
Minooka, IL 12,891 113 1.3x
Manteno, IL 9,030 103 1.2x
Eureka, IL 5,007 89 1.0x