Small-town market profile · Illinois
Pontiac, IL area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Pontiac area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 35,057
- −2.1% since 2020
- Households
- 14,615
- Median household income
- $73,790
- +33.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $142,200
- Jobs located here
- 12,813
- Highest market score
- 77
- Dentists and orthodontists, #41 of 526 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Pontiac area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Pontiac area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 35,057 people live in the Pontiac area, in 14,615 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Pontiac area from 2020 to 2025 at −2.1%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Pontiac area is $73,790 a year, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 33.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Pontiac area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (66).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Pontiac area are for dentists and orthodontists (77); bakeries and dessert shops (74); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (73). The Pontiac area ranks #41 of 526 scored small-town markets for dentists and orthodontists.
The Pontiac area is made up of one county, Livingston County. For its number of households, the Pontiac area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pizza places (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (44% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Pontiac area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Pontiac area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists and orthodontists | 77 | #41 of 526 | 7 | 4.8 | $2.9M | 295 | 7 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 74 | #33 of 507 | 8 | 5.5 | $6.9M | 168 | 4 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 73 | #77 of 536 | 19 | 13.0 | $1.5M | 168 | 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 72 | #41 of 504 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.8M | 324 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 71 | #93 of 536 | 14 | 9.6 | $2M | 158 | 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 67 | #72 of 400 | 5 | 3.4 | $4.1M | 130 | Under 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 67 | #81 of 529 | 12 | 8.2 | $4.6M | 125 | 4 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 66 | #126 of 538 | 103 | 70.5 | $197K | 129 | 22 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 64 | #104 of 535 | 15 | 10.3 | $818K | 124 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 62 | #122 of 506 | 9 | 6.2 | $1.4M | 105 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 62 | #154 of 529 | 9 | 6.2 | $9.7M | 123 | 5 |
| Physical therapy | 61 | #119 of 400 | 6 | 4.1 | $3.4M | 141 | 5 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 60 | #146 of 538 | 49 | 33.5 | $290K | 136 | 9 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 56 | #224 of 537 | 23 | 15.7 | $2.4M | 79 | 22 |
| Veterinarians | 53 | #176 of 398 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.4M | 88 | 5 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 53 | #235 of 538 | 157 | 107.4 | $354K | 95 | 57 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 52 | #264 of 538 | 28 | 19.2 | $3.1M | 92 | 13 |
| Tire shops | 51 | #209 of 431 | 6 | 4.1 | $2.6M | 106 | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 50 | #220 of 426 | 10 | 6.8 | $2M | 85 | 4 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 48 | #284 of 538 | 75 | 51.3 | $741K | 112 | 31 |
| Auto repair shops | 48 | #297 of 538 | 34 | 23.3 | $468K | 105 | 21 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 47 | #220 of 387 | 7 | 4.8 | $1.7M | 67 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 45 | #175 of 288 | 5 | 3.4 | $7.7M | 91 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 44 | #338 of 538 | 36 | 24.6 | $394K | 92 | 7 |
| Real estate | 43 | #351 of 536 | 34 | 23.3 | Index only | 137 | 11 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 42 | #253 of 387 | 6 | 4.1 | $2.6M | 86 | 6 |
| Pizza | 42 | #337 of 520 | 24 | 16.4 | $2.3M | 46 | 22 |
| Grocery stores | 40 | #354 of 506 | 12 | 8.2 | $7.3M | 78 | 8 |
| Auto repair and car care | 38 | #393 of 538 | 68 | 46.5 | $234K | 87 | 30 |
| Pet businesses | 38 | #398 of 527 | 21 | 14.4 | $572K | 65 | 8 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #417 of 533 | 31 | 21.2 | Index only | 119 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 35 | #417 of 536 | 25 | 17.1 | $1.6M | 68 | 21 |
| Electricians | 34 | #247 of 295 | 7 | 4.8 | $5.5M | 46 | 10 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 34 | #399 of 481 | 15 | 10.3 | $1.2M | 70 | 16 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 33 | #328 of 399 | 11 | 7.5 | $1.6M | 55 | 10 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 33 | #403 of 476 | 14 | 9.6 | $2.8M | 58 | 12 |
| Home repair trades | 33 | #451 of 526 | 26 | 17.8 | $1.5M | 61 | 22 |
| Funeral homes | 31 | #311 of 365 | 9 | 6.2 | $263K | 39 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 28 | #390 of 441 | 10 | 6.8 | $1.6M | 63 | 4 |
| Insurance agencies | 14 | #518 of 537 | 31 | 21.2 | $796K | 63 | 22 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 188 | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $4.4M | 69 | 6 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $3.1M | 152 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 212 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | $4M | 88 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $2.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $14M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $10.1M | Too few | 6 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $6.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $28M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Pontiac area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $15.9M | $1,088 | 114 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $40.6M | $2,777 | 107 |
| Food away from home | $55.6M | $3,804 | 93 |
| Groceries | $87.4M | $5,977 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $14.2M | $971 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.6M | $381 | 66 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $12.3M | $840 | 85 |
| Medical and dental services | $20.3M | $1,388 | 108 |
| Pets | $12M | $822 | 90 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $28M | $1,919 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $24.7M | $1,688 | 86 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $38.6M | $2,644 | 88 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17.6M | $1,204 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $201.2M | $13,765 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Pontiac area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 35,057−2.1% since 2020
- Households
- 14,615
- Median age
- 41.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 74%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,044 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 34
- Median household income
- $73,790+33.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $91,317
- Median home value
- $142,200
- Jobs located here
- 12,813
- Daytime population
- 32,838Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Pontiac area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Pontiac area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Pontiac area 1
- Livingston County, IL35,565 people
Other markets based in Illinois 12
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area9,371,595 people
- Peoria, IL metro area365,202 people
- Rockford, IL metro area336,522 people
- Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area238,842 people
- Springfield, IL metro area207,042 people
- Bloomington, IL metro area171,556 people
- Kankakee, IL metro area106,635 people
- Decatur, IL metro area101,849 people
- Ottawa, IL area147,181 people
- Quincy, IL-MO area74,678 people
- Danville, IL area72,386 people
- Marion-Herrin, IL area66,876 people
Questions
How fast is the Pontiac, IL area growing?
Population estimates put the Pontiac area at 35,057 people in 2025, down 2.1% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 14,615 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 33.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Pontiac, IL area spend?
Households in the Pontiac area spend about $201.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $87.4M on groceries and $55.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Pontiac area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (66).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Pontiac, IL area?
Of the business types scored in the Pontiac area, dentists and orthodontists (77); bakeries and dessert shops (74); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (73) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For dentists and orthodontists, that ranks #41 of 526 scored small-town markets.
How does the Pontiac, IL area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Pontiac area is $73,790, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $142,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pizza places (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (44% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 40 of the 56 business types have a score in the Pontiac area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Pontiac area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Pontiac area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Pontiac area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.