Pontiac, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Pontiac, IL Summary

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:

  • The cost of living index in Pontiac is 88, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Pontiac is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Pontiac ranks as the #70 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Pontiac ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Pontiac is $146,984.

  • The median income in Pontiac is $59,579.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Pontiac's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

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 88, 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 97.

The standard of living in Pontiac ranks as #70 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Pontiac ranks as the #266 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Pontiac, check out:

70 out of 336
In Illinois
912 out of 6,489
In America

Pontiac Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Pontiac is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Pontiac is 99.

  • The Health index in Pontiac is 109.

  • The Housing index in Pontiac is 63.

  • The Transportation index in Pontiac is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Pontiac is 87.

Living ExpensePontiacIllinoisNational Average
Overall8897100
Services10895100
Groceries9999100
Health10993100
Housing6395100
Transportation98102100
Utilities8791100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Pontiac Cost of Living Vs. IL

Pontiac, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Pontiac is $146,984.

  • The Median Rent in Pontiac is $818.

  • The Median Income in Pontiac is $59,579.

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

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

StatisticPontiacIllinoisUnited States
Median Home Value$146,984$283,508$303,400
Median Rent$818$1,227$1,348
Median Income$59,579$81,702$78,538
Home Value To Income2.5x3.5x3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income0.16x0.18x0.21x
$146,984
Median Home Value
$818
Median Rent
$59,579
Median Income

Pontiac, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Pontiac Services Costs Vs. Illinois

ItemPontiacIllinois
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

ItemPontiacIllinois
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

ItemPontiacIllinois
Optometrist$242.88$125.68
Doctor$139.32$135.78
Dentist$123.04$113.29

Detailed Pontiac Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

ItemPontiacIllinois
Gasoline$3.55$3.46
Tire Balancing$56.15$59.92

Detailed Pontiac Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

ItemPontiacIllinois
All Electricity$145.92$193.99
Phone$198.19$192.25

Pontiac SnackAbility

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

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 98, 1.1x Pontiac.

  • Normal, IL has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Pontiac.

  • Shorewood, IL has a cost of living index of 116, 1.3x Pontiac.

CityPopulationCost Of LivingVs. Pontiac
Bloomington, IL78,703981.1x
Normal, IL52,9081011.1x
Shorewood, IL18,2181161.3x
Morton, IL16,503961.1x
Washington, IL15,946951.1x
Channahon, IL13,8541141.3x
Minooka, IL12,6321091.2x
Manteno, IL8,942981.1x
Eureka, IL5,095891.0x

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