Pontiac vs Southfield
Pontiac, Michigan versus Southfield, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Pontiac edges out Southfield on overall objective livability (54 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Pontiac | Southfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $40k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $48k |
| Home Value | $100k | $213k |
| Monthly Rent | $947 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.18% | 1.76% |
| Income Tax | 5.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.21% | 12.15% |
| Unemployment | 9.5% | 6.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.9 in | 33.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.0 in | 36.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 244 days | 244 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 96 days | 102 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 41.3 | 46.8 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 84.5 |
| Violent Crime | — | 2209/100k |
| Property Crime | — | 2642/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 61,965 | 76,107 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 42.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | D+14 |
| White (%) | 22.4% | 25.1% |
| Black (%) | 48.1% | 64.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.6% | 1.5% |
| Asian (%) | 4.0% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.9% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 8.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 30 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 79.8% | 89.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 52.45 | 43.75 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pontiac or Southfield more affordable?
- Southfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Pontiac's $48k and Southfield's $48k. Median rent is $947 in Pontiac versus $1k in Southfield.
- Are homes cheaper in Pontiac or Southfield?
- The median home value is $100k in Pontiac and $213k in Southfield, so homes are more affordable in Pontiac.