Home / Home Buying by state / Illinois / Livingston County / Pontiac

Buying a home in Pontiac, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Pontiac is worth about $116,300, 56% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 65% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,495 a year in property taxes, about 2.15% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $61,279 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Pontiac at a glance

Pontiac Illinois U.S.
Median home value $116,300 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,495 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.15% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $61,279 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 57% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,204 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.7% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $842 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.8% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1965 1971 1980
Vacant homes 10.1% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 11,294 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Pontiac

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Pontiac home of $116,300 with 20% down costs about $883 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,076, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $37,831 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Pontiac household income of $61,279; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $188,000.

The median rent here is $842 a month, so owning the median home costs about $41 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$23,260
Loan amount$93,040
Principal and interest$626
Property taxes (2.15% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
PMI$0
Total per month$883

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,070
Loan amount$114,194
Principal and interest$768
Property taxes (2.15% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
FHA mortgage insurance$51
Total per month$1,076

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Pontiac

What is the median home value in Pontiac?

About $116,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Pontiac?

Homeowners pay a median $2,495 a year, which is about 2.15% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Pontiac?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $883 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $37,831 a year.

More about Pontiac

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data