Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city of 62,104 people in Oakland County, Michigan, founded in 1818.
Why visit Pontiac
Townapedia lists 36 museums and landmarks, 79 parks and trails, 176 places to eat, 23 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Flagstar Strand Theatre, Trowbridge Road-Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge, Casa del Rey Apartments and Central School.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 17°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Pontiac
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pontiac
Pontiac ( PON-(t)ee-ak) is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located roughly 26 miles (41.8 km) northwest of downtown Detroit, Pontiac is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, and is variously described as a satellite city or suburb of Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 61,606.
From the Wikipedia article Pontiac, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Trowbridge Road-Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Road bridge in Bloomfield Hills, United States of America
Sea Life Aquarium
Zoo and aquarium · 3.8 mi
4316 Baldwin Road, Auburn Hills
Mo-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-19:00; Su 11:00-18:00
Midwestern Baptist College
School · 4.5 mi
Small unaccredited, nonaffiliated school in Orion, Michigan
Oakland University
School · 4.0 mi
Public research university located in Michigan, USA
Sea Life Michigan
Monument and historic site · 3.8 mi
Public aquarium in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA
Museums and landmarks36
Casa del Rey Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Multifamily residential in Pontiac, United States of America
Central School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
School in Pontiac, Michigan, United States
Charles Torrey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Single-family detached home in Bloomfield Township, United States of America
Clinton Valley Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Psychiatric hospital located in Michigan
Eagle Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Movie theater in Pontiac, Michigan, United States
Fairgrove Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic residential district in Pontiac, Michigan, USA
Franklin Boulevard Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Pontiac, Michigan
Gillespie Street-Clinton River Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Road bridge in Pontiac, United States of America
Gregor S. and Elizabeth B. Affleck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
United States historic place
H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland O'Dell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Single-family detached home in Bloomfield Hills, United States of America
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Horatio N. Howard House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Pontiac, Michigan, listed on the NRHP in Oakland County
Meadow Brook Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Rochester Hills, Michigan, the former Estate of Matilda Dodge Wilson
24 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds79
67 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes176
Albert's Coney Grill Restaurant
Restaurant · Diner · 2.1 mi
2061 Featherstone Road, Auburn Hills
Mo-Fr 06:00-21:00; Sa,Su 07:00-15:00
Cantina El Dorado
Restaurant · Mexican · 3.5 mi
3300 Auburn Road, Auburn Hills
Mo-Su 00:00-02:00, 11:00-24:00
El Guanaco
Restaurant · Mexican, Salvadoran · 2.7 mi
2016 North Opdyke Road, Auburn Hills
Mo-Th 10:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-21:00
Flavors of Jamaica
Restaurant · Caribbean · 1.9 mi
406 North Telegraph Road
Mo-Fr 11:00-20:00; Sa-Su 11:00-21:00
Manhattan Fish & Chicken
Restaurant · Chicken, Fish · 2.5 mi
1101 East Walton Boulevard, Pontiac
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
Ray’s Crispy Fish & Chicken
Restaurant · Seafood · 2.3 mi
143 South Telegraph Road, Pontiac
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:30
Charlie's S&S Seafood and Soul Food
Restaurant · 2.5 mi
2407 Elizabeth Lake Road, Waterford Twp
Tu-Su 12:00-18:00
Kimchi Box
Restaurant · Korean · 3.0 mi
2713 University Drive
Tu-Fr 11:00-21:00; Mo, Sa 11:30-21:00; Su 12:00-21:30
Bob E's Super Chief
Diner · American · 2.4 mi
340 West Walton Boulevard, Pontiac
Mo-Sa 09:30-17:00
164 more on the map.
History
Present-day Pontiac, Michigan was traversed for thousands of years by indigenous peoples due to the confluence of the Saginaw Trail and the Nottawassippi River; the river's indigenous name was replaced with the Clinton River name by settlers coming from New York State, where DeWitt Clinton served as Governor. The Saginaw Trail was an important land trail route for indigenous peoples that ran from the Saginaw Bay in Michigan to the Detroit River in present-day Detroit.
Early European expeditions into the land north of Detroit described the area as having "extreme sterility and barrenness". Developments and exploration were soon to prove that report false.
The first European-American settlers arrived in what is now the city of Pontiac in 1818. They followed the Saginaw Trail north from Detroit and determined the settlement should be where the trail and the river crossed. Two years later the fledgling settlement was designated as the county seat for Oakland County, due in part to the Michigan Territorial Governor Lewis Cass being receptive to the lobbying of The Pontiac Company's members that their recently acquired property was ideal for the county seat location.
From the History section of Pontiac, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay23
Residence Inn Detroit Pontiac/Auburn Hills
Motel and hotel · 3.4 mi
3333 Centerpoint Parkway, Pontiac
Churches and places of worship91
St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, Convent, and School
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
St. Paul United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 3.4 mi
165 East Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills
All Saints' Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.1 mi
171 West Pike Street, Pontiac
Shopping37
Gas and EV charging51
Schools, colleges and libraries79
Healthcare19
Alice Gustafson Center (AGC)
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.6 mi
44405 Woodward Avenue, Pontiac
1st Choice Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.1 mi
2274 South Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township
Map of Pontiac
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 17°F | 2.2 in | 12.1 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 18°F | 1.9 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 26°F | 2.2 in | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 36°F | 2.9 in | 0.9 in |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 59°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 54°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 42°F | 2.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 32°F | 3.1 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 24°F | 2.2 in | 8.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Pontiac Wwtp (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Oakland County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-02-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-07-15: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-09-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Oakland County International Airport (PTK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Auburn Hills 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Birmingham 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Beverly Hills 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Clawson 10 mi southeast, about 17 min by car
- Farmington Hills 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Berkley 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Sterling Heights 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Madison Heights 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Oak Park 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Farmington 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Pontiac MI, Lrgjr72, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Pontiac, Michigan - Large Letter Postcard (8046716273), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 30 North (former Pontiac Commercial & Savings Bank Building), Pontiac, Michigan - entrance and Chief Pontiac relief sculpture - 20201213, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Pontiac, Michigan - Large Letter Postcard (9426048067), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Pontiac Central School, Pontiac, Michigan - 20201213, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oakland Towne Center (former Pontiac State Bank Building), Pontiac, Michigan - 20201213, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Strand Theatre, Pontiac, Michigan - 20201213, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phoenix Center and Ottawa Towers, Pontiac, Michigan - 20201213, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Pontiac, Michigan - Large Letter Postcard (6946145571), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Pontiac, United States (Unsplash), Aaron Burden aaronburden, CC0
- 20.09.26 Pontiac, MI 4605, Phil Richards, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan, Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21719664865), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21728967881), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Home (Used as Business) Across from Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21096953324), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21079597304), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21079592454), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac, Michigan (21081312773), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan (21693587576), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Parashakthi Mata Temple Pontiac MI, Shibamouli Lahiri, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old WalMart, Pontiac, MI, Allison Chase from Pontiac, Michigan, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Fairgrove Avenue Historic District Pontiac MI A, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gregor S and Elizabeth B Affleck House Bloomfield Hills MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Charles Torrey House Birmingham MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Vincent DePaul Catholic Church Pontiac MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Casa del Rey Apartments Pontiac MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wisner House Pontiac MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oak Hill Cemetery Pontiac MI A, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gillespie Street-Clinton River Bridge Pontiac MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Trowbridge Road-Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge Bloomfield Hills MI A, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- StMarysprepbuilding, Gsgeorge, Public domain
- Horatio N Howard House Pontiac MI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Regiment, Dantheit, CC BY-SA 4.0
- B. B. 1819 cabin with north porch, TheSibleys, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Boody painting -1 120621, SibleyHoytOwner, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Deadmau5 crofoot kick, GoatLordServant, CC BY 4.0
- Featherstone Rd. - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Wingate Hotel - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- Hampton Inn Detroit-Auburn Hills South - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
- View from Hilton Auburn Hills Suites - panoramio, qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
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