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City · 11,294 residents · Livingston County, Illinois

Pontiac , Illinois

In Pontiac, a typical home is worth $116,300 and typical rent is $842 a month. Compared with all of Livingston County, the typical home value is 18% lower, typical household income is 17% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 11 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $116,300

    18% below the county

    56% below Illinois

    • Pontiac
    • Livingston
    • Illinois

  • Typical rent

    $842a month

    4% below the county

    34% below Illinois

    • Pontiac
    • Livingston
    • Illinois

  • Typical household income

    $61,279a year

    17% below the county

    27% below Illinois

    • Pontiac
    • Livingston
    • Illinois

  • Households that own their home

    63%

    11 points below the county

    4 points below Illinois

    • Pontiac
    • Livingston
    • Illinois

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$157,477
10.3% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Pontiac is in Livingston County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Livingston County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Pontiac apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Pontiac rose 10.3%; in Illinois, it rose 5.3%.

  2. Nearby, in Streator, the typical home value is $94,700: 19% less than in Pontiac ($116,300).

  3. The typical home in Pontiac is worth $116,300, 18% less than in Livingston County as a whole ($142,200).

  4. The typical household income in Pontiac is $61,279, 17% less than in Livingston County as a whole ($73,790).

  5. 63% of households in Pontiac own their home, against 74% in Livingston County.

Sources: Zillow (September 2026 data); U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Pontiac

What homes there are in Pontiac, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Pontiac, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Livingston County, 8.

Year built

Homes in Pontiac are newer: the typical year built is 1965; in Livingston County, 1961.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,204 a month

Livingston County: $1,300 a month

Without a mortgage

$525 a month

Livingston County: $653 a month

Owners with a mortgage

57%

Livingston County: 52%

Owning costs less in Pontiac: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,204 a month; in Livingston County, $1,300. Without one, $525.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Pontiac rose 20%; in Livingston County, it rose 30%.

The typical rent in Pontiac rose 18% over the same time; in Livingston County, it rose 23%.

Here income gained ground: typical income rose 35%, against +20% for home values and +18% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasurePontiacLivingston CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.152.292.462.53
Drive alone 80%80%66%69%
Carpool 9%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%3%3%
Work from home 6%7%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Pontiac has 2.15 people, fewer than in Livingston County (2.29).

The car rules in Pontiac: 80% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Pontiac?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Pontiac, worth $116,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 21% of the typical household income in Pontiac, which is $61,279 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Livingston County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Pontiac. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,071 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,082

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$114,193
Total interest
$164,297
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,964 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,430 a month

    Your payment · 21%

  • Tight

    $1,430 to $1,838 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,838 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Pontiac ($61,279 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,082
Principal & interest$774
Property tax$208
Home insurance$49
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$51

You need at least $4,071 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Pontiac and Livingston County

Pontiac is in Livingston County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Pontiac's own numbers

Typical home value
$116,300
Typical monthly rent
$842
Typical yearly household income
$61,279
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
2.15%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Livingston County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$996
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+49%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
7.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Livingston County.

Everything about Livingston County

Buying

Buying a home in Pontiac

A typical home in Pontiac is worth $116,300: 18% below the county and 56% below Illinois. With the typical household income in Pontiac ($61,279 a year), a typical home costs 1.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Pontiac 1.9 years
  • Livingston 1.9 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Livingston County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Livingston County rose 61% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Livingston County.

Period County Illinois U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.9% +5.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +49% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +61% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Pontiac next to Livingston County, Illinois and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Pontiac $116,300
  • Livingston $142,200
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Pontiac $842
  • Livingston $880
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Pontiac $61,279
  • Livingston $73,790
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Pontiac next to Livingston County and Illinois
Measure Pontiac Livingston County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $116,300 $142,200 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $842 $880 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $61,279 $73,790 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 74% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,495 $2,908 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.15% 2.05% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 38% 35% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Livingston County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Pontiac

For a typical $116,300 home in Pontiac, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Pontiac's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,082a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,071
    Cash to close
    $7,560
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $51

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,061a month

    Down payment
    $5,815
    Cash to close
    $9,304
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $55

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $887a month

    Down payment
    $23,260
    Cash to close
    $26,749
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $995a month

    Down payment
    $17,445
    Cash to close
    $20,934
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Pontiac and for Livingston County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Pontiac

2.15%of the home’s value each year

$2,495 a year for the typical owner in Pontiac.

  • Pontiac 2.15%
  • Livingston 2.05%
  • Illinois 2.01%

What Illinois publishes General Homestead Exemption (Illinois Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in Livingston County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Livingston County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
7.6%
1,016
Of those, with NFIP insurance
14%
County Illinois U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 7.6% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 14% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Pontiac

Typical rent in Pontiac is $842 a month: 4% below the county. In Pontiac, 38% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Livingston County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($996 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.15 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Livingston County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $694 $13.35 $27,760
1 bedroom $761 $14.63 $30,440
2 bedrooms $996 $19.15 $39,840
3 bedrooms $1,233 $23.71 $49,320
4 bedrooms $1,328 $25.54 $53,120

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Pontiac

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Pontiac is in ZIP code 61764.

For 2 bedrooms it is $980: $16 less than the fair market rent for Livingston County ($996).

  • 61764 $980$1,210

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Pontiac when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Pontiac

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Pontiac. These are the largest.

  • Livingston Apartments 920 W Madison St, Pontiac 61764 195 homes, 176 low-income · Run by Livingston County Housing Authority · Average payment: $399 a month · Average wait: 4 months (815) 844-6013
  • Pontiac Towers 1011 W Washington St, Pontiac 61764 111 low-income homes · For older adults (815) 842-2307
  • Prairie Horizons Apartments 1510 S Locust St, Pontiac 61764 18 homes, 16 low-income · For older adults (815) 842-1122
  • Pontiac Regency Apts 102 E Michigan Ave, Pontiac 61764 8 low-income homes · 2 bd: 8 · In service since 1991 · For families

See all 7 buildings in Livingston County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Pontiac

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Livingston County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Pontiac

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Pontiac or Livingston County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Pontiac the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Illinois

  • IHDAccess Home

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with deferred payments for first-time buyers in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Forgivable

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan forgiven little by little over ten years, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Deferred

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Pontiac

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Pontiac, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Mid Central Community Action of Pontiac

    320 W Madison St, Pontiac · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (815) 844-8812

  • Mid Central Community Action, Inc.

    1301 W Washington St, Bloomington · 34 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (309) 829-0691

  • Will County Center for Community Concerns

    2455 Glenwood Ave, Joliet · 51 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 5 more
    (815) 722-0722

Every agency in Livingston County All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near Pontiac

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Pontiac

HUD’s record names them for Pontiac or Livingston County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

All housing agencies in Illinois Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Pontiac, with the typical home value.

Everything about Livingston County Housing in Illinois

Neighboring counties

If Livingston County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Pontiac.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Pontiac

Short answers with the numbers for Pontiac and all of Livingston County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Pontiac?

The typical home value in Pontiac is $116,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Livingston County it is $142,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Pontiac?

Typical rent in Pontiac is $842 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Livingston County is $996.

What is the FHA loan limit in Pontiac?

Pontiac uses the FHA limit for all of Livingston County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Pontiac?

The typical homeowner in Pontiac pays $2,495 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.15% of the home’s value; in Livingston County, the rate is 2.05%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Pontiac?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Livingston County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).