City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Sterling Heights, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sterling Heights - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

133,473
Residents
$78,429
Median income
$260,700
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Sterling Heights - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sterling Heights places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 53rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
53rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sterling Heights, MI

Michigan's Sterling Heights is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 133,473 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $78,429 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.2%. Home values in Sterling Heights run a median of $260,700, and the median resident age is 41.5 years. 31.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 70 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier. Sterling Heights reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1271.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,411 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). Workers in Sterling Heights report an average commute of 21.8 minutes, with 74.7% driving alone and 13.8% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

133,473 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$78,429 /yr

Poverty 8.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Sterling Heights compare to other US cities?

Sterling Heights measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 53% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Sterling Heights ranks #131 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sterling Heights's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Michigan, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

60thIncome percentile
53rdSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 53rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sterling Heights's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sterling Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 52 Avg. percentile National median
Sterling Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sterling Heights's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$260,700 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Sterling Heights $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sterling Heights, MI Sterling Heights, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sterling Heights, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sterling Heights, MI median $78,429/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sterling Heights, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sterling Heights, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
133,473
Median Income
$78,429
Median Home Value
$260,700
Median Age
41.5
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Labor force participation
57.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1271.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
229.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1042.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
31
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
132,000 residents133,000 residents134,000 residents135,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 134,106 residents 133,931 residents ▼ -0.1%
Sterling Heights's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
70
housing units authorized
Single-Family
70
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 214
2020 109
2021 144
2022 393
2023 189
2024 70

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.8 minutes
Drive Alone
74.7%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
13.8%
Other
0.9%

Based on 61,988 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sterling Heights sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Warren
138,128 people
Ann Arbor
121,179 people
Lansing
112,546 people
Dearborn
107,846 people
Livonia
94,058 people
Troy
87,307 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sterling Heights's 133,473 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Coral Springs, FL
133,962 people
Midland, TX
133,998 people
New Haven, CT
132,893 people
Carrollton, TX
132,741 people
Kent, WA
135,015 people
Stamford, CT
135,806 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sterling Heights's $78,429 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Waverly, IA
$78,429 median income
Richfield, OH
$78,426 median income
Erlanger, KY
$78,420 median income
Charlotte, NC
$78,438 median income
Gastonville, PA
$78,438 median income
Tabor, SD
$78,438 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sterling Heights, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sterling Heights, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.9% 6.6% 9.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.4% White 78.9% Black or African American 6.6% Asian 9.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 4.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sterling Heights compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sterling Heights (this city) 133,473 $78,429
Warren 138,128 $63,741
Ann Arbor 121,179 $81,089
Lansing 112,546 $52,170
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sterling Heights, MI?

What is the population of Sterling Heights, MI? +

Sterling Heights, MI has a population of 133,473 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sterling Heights, MI? +

Sterling Heights households earn a median of $78,429 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sterling Heights? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sterling Heights; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Sterling Heights, MI safe? +

Sterling Heights has a total crime rate of 1271.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sterling Heights, MI? +

A typical home in Sterling Heights is worth $260,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.