How much of their income Pontiac renters pay, 2026

Look past the headlines and the numbers start talking. The Census puts the median rent as a share of renter income in Pontiac at 32.5%.

That is 17% above the Oakland County figure of 27.8%.

Where Pontiac stands

Among 55 communities in Oakland County, Pontiac has the 17th highest figure, above 70% of them. The middle figure in that group is 27.5%, so Pontiac sits above the typical one.

The range runs from 14.4% in Huntington Woods to 51.0% in Bingham Farms. The highest figures in the group belong to Bingham Farms (51.0%), Oxford (51.0%), and White Lake (49.2%).

Across all 191 Metro Detroit communities, Pontiac ranks 56th.

Next door

Waterford nearby comes in at 30.2%, 7% lower. Auburn Hills nearby comes in at 26.5%, 18% lower.

Sylvan Lake nearby comes in at 29.7%, 9% lower. Bloomfield Township nearby comes in at 23.0%, 29% lower.

Related numbers

For median property tax bill, Pontiac comes in at $1,257 a year. For property taxes as a share of home value, Pontiac comes in at 1.03%.

For median monthly housing costs, Pontiac comes in at $1,014 a month.

What it means for you

So what does that mean for you?

Housing counselors treat 30% of income as the line where rent starts to squeeze everything else.

How we read the numbers

The figure is the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ranks compare Pontiac with the 55 communities in Oakland County that have the same figure on file, highest first.