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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Pontiac, MI

Population: 61,965 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
62/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$714.2M
Per Capita
$11,527
Total Revenue
$245.0M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
36.7%$261.8M
Housing & Community Development
22.1%$157.5M
Public Welfare
19.8%$141.1M
Fire Protection
8.4%$59.8M
Utilities
6.1%$43.7M
Sewerage
2.7%$19.0M
Parks & Recreation
1.8%$12.9M
Highways & Roads
1.1%$7.7M
Health
0.8%$5.4M
Hospitals
0.7%$5.4M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.4%$982K
Intergovernmental
100.0%$245.0M
Other
21.9%$53.6M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$965/person
Highways & Roads$124/person
Parks & Recreation$209/person
Health$87/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)28/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Pontiac stacks up against another city.

vs Detroit, MIvs Grand Rapids, MIvs Warren, MI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Michigan

Detroit, MI

Pop. 637K

B
Total Spending
$19.8B
Per Capita
$31,087

Grand Rapids, MI

Pop. 198K

D
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$22,146

Warren, MI

Pop. 139K

C
Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$15,235

Sterling Heights, MI

Pop. 134K

B
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$12,550

Compare Pontiac With

Detroit, MI

Spending: $31,087/person · Grade: B

Grand Rapids, MI

Spending: $22,146/person · Grade: D

Warren, MI

Spending: $15,235/person · Grade: C

Sterling Heights, MI

Spending: $12,550/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Pontiac, MI spends $11,527 per resident, based on total expenditures of $714.2M for a population of 61,965. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (62/100).

Pontiac, MI has total expenditures of $714.2M and total revenue of $245.0M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Pontiac, MI employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Pontiac, MI has a Fiscal Health Score of C (62/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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