Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety44#8,665/15,637
Economy19#12,658/15,631
Housing62#5,693/14,977
Health22#12,165/15,609
Healthcare61#6,074/15,650
Environment5#14,727/15,453
Education24#11,915/15,649
Infrastructure74#4,092/15,650
Community56#6,910/15,651
Leisure & amenities71#4,588/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Pontoon Beach, Illinois ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Madison County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Job growth · high2.4%
91/100Illinois 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataMadison County value
Dentists · high101 /100k
90/100Illinois 86 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMadison County value
Public transit commuters · high3.0%
88/100Illinois 5.8%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty
Home price to income ratio · low2.3×
85/100Illinois 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Dental care shortage · low0.0
84/100Illinois 4.8United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationMadison County value
Restaurants and bars · high11.2 /10k
83/100Illinois 10.3 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMadison County value

Weaknesses

Unemployment rate · high11.0%
7/100Illinois 4.6%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Preventable hospital stays · high4,027 /100k
8/100Illinois 3,343 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMadison County value
High ozone days · high7 days
12/100Illinois 5 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyMadison County value
Adult obesity · high41.9%
13/100Illinois 39.0%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Poverty rate · high21.7%
14/100Illinois 11.5%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Frequent mental distress · high20.5%
16/100Illinois 18.7%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

High school diploma or higherImproving
85.4% (2015-2019) → 95.4% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
56.4% (2015-2019) → 48.0% (2020-2024)
−8.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Poverty rateWorsening
15.5% (2015-2019) → 21.7% (2020-2024)
+6.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
1.8× (2015-2019) → 2.3× (2020-2024)
+29%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Rent as share of incomeImproving
34.1% (2015-2019) → 29.1% (2020-2024)
−5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Unemployment rateWorsening
6.6% (2015-2019) → 11.0% (2020-2024)
+4.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Pontoon Beach, Illinois improved on 0 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 14 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Pontoon Beach, Illinois between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.9 min2015-2019	22.5 min2020-2024	−3.3 min	Within the margin of error	81%
Bachelor's degree or higher	15.1%2015-2019	15.5%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Broadband subscriptions	91.3%2015-2019	93.8%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Child poverty rate	30.9%2015-2019	32.9%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Effective property tax rate	2.16%2015-2019	1.60%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	93%
High school diploma or higher	85.4%2015-2019	95.4%2020-2024	+10 points	Within the margin of error	95%
Home price to income ratio	1.8×2015-2019	2.3×2020-2024	+0.5×	Within the margin of error	46%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3872015-2019	0.4242020-2024	+0.037	Within the margin of error	23%
Median household income	$53,3412015-2019	$62,8612020-2024	+18%	Within the margin of error	29%
Poverty rate	15.5%2015-2019	21.7%2020-2024	+6.2 points	Within the margin of error	10%
Rent as share of income	34.1%2015-2019	29.1%2020-2024	−5 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Rent-burdened households	56.4%2015-2019	48.0%2020-2024	−8.5 points	Within the margin of error	79%
Unemployment rate	6.6%2015-2019	11.0%2020-2024	+4.4 points	Within the margin of error	5%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.0%2015-2019	5.8%2020-2024	−3.1 points	Within the margin of error	77%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Pontoon Beach, Illinois five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Pontoon Beach, Illinois in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Pontoon Beach, Illinois itself moved +7.4 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

6,025 residents (±290)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (−4.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

6,025 residents (±290)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

White65%3,938
Black8.4%†508
Hispanic or Latino19%†1,145

Education

3,911 residents (±285)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

No high school diploma4.6%†178
High school or GED42%1,641
Some college27%1,037

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,377 households (±170)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $25k23%†546
$25k–50k16%†376
$50k–75k18%†427
$75k–100k17%†411
$100k–150k17%†400
$150k–200k3.8%†91
$200k or more5.3%†126

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−14.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,377 households (±170)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Own70%1,655
Rent30%722

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

661 households (±179)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $7501.5%†10
$750–1,00019%†125
$1,000–1,50054%†356

Home values

1,655 homes (±225)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $150k52%858
$150k–250k28%†463
$250k–400k19%†321

Age of homes

2,554 homes (±207)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

2010 or later5.9%†150
2000–200920%523
1980–199937%949

Size of homes

2,554 homes (±207)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Studio0.7%†18
1 bedroom1.4%†35
2 bedrooms21%527

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,462 workers (±304)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Drive alone79%1,944
Carpool11%†282
Public transit3.0%†73
Walk0.2%†4
Bike0.0%0
Work from home6.2%†153
Other0.2%†6

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+4.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

2,309 workers (±298)

Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Illinois share

Under 15 min29%†673
15–29 min43%998
30–44 min21%†489

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the St. Louis, MO-IL

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Madison County, the county holding most of Pontoon Beach's residents.

Madison County has 5,659 employer establishments, 215 for every 10,000 residents (0.87× the US rate of 248; 0.84× Illinois's), with 93,915 paid employees at an average annual pay of $53,648. The Census Bureau also counts 17,232 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 5,659; 17,232 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 215; US 248 · Illinois 255
Paid employees: 93,915
Average annual pay: $53,648; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Madison County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	502	19.1	0.91×About typical	4,735	$74,917	699
Restaurants and other eating places	477	18.1	0.99×About typical	9,820	$20,499	68
Specialty trade contractors	361	13.7	0.89×About typical	3,517	$76,867	997
Limited-service restaurants	239	9.1	1.13×About typical	5,184	$19,290	31
Full-service restaurants	198	7.5	0.98×About typical	4,106	$22,351	32
Religious organizations	198	7.5	1.36×More than typical	1,610	$22,932	—
Offices of other health practitioners	189	7.2	1.18×About typical	970	$62,310	342
Lessors of real estate	186	7.1	0.57×Fewer than typical	582	$41,598	1,614
Automotive repair and maintenance	175	6.6	1.32×More than typical	1,209	$46,381	425
Construction of buildings	163	6.2	0.82×About typical	843	$72,940	436
Legal services	149	5.7	1.05×About typical	1,252	$148,030	165
Services to buildings and dwellings	140	5.3	0.79×Fewer than typical	783	$36,932	991

Rank places for an industry Open Madison County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 263,404 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $636.6K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Pontoon Beach, Illinois: $106 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $636.6K; −59% vs FY2025
Per resident: $106; US $1,994
Sole-source: 71%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.5%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Navy$453.6K71%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$87.6K14%
Department of the Army$37.8K5.9%
U.S. Coast Guard$35.8K5.6%
Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$14.2K2.2%
Departmental Offices$3,1250.5%
Department of Veterans Affairs$2,9470.5%
Bureau of the Fiscal Service$1,3010.2%

Top recipients

PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT SERVICES, INC.$453.6K71%
ZECOAT CORPORATION$87.6K14%
ADDON SERVICES LLC$36.7K5.8%
CALCMATICS LLC$35.8K5.6%
OCCI, INC.$19.2K3.0%

Spending by fiscal year

1.7MFY2017
2.2MFY2018
1.7MFY2019
2.1MFY2020
1.5MFY2021
3.5MFY2022
2.3MFY2023
12.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Warehousing and storage · 4931$489.4K77%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$87.6K14%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$36.7K5.8%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$19.2K3.0%
Cattle ranching and farming · 1121$6,9951.1%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, so they do not add up across cities.

Pontoon Beach, Illinois's figures are part of those of Madison County, IL ($15M in FY2026), never added to them: 4.2% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Pontoon Beach is mostly in Madison County.

See federal money in Madison County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Pontoon Beach, Illinois is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Madison County71100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

St. Louis, MO-IL72

Other cities and towns in Madison County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1761067

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends