Sterling Heights MI
Michigan · Pop. 133,573
Sterling Heights, MI: median household income of $79,909, median rent of $1,292/mo, 6.1% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$79,909
per year
Median Rent
$1,292
per month
Median Home
$274k
home value
Unemployment
6.1%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
11.1%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
25 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Sterling Heights, MI Reality Check"
In Sterling Heights, the rent-to-income burden runs around 19% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $79,909 and median rent is $1,292/month. 54% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $274,300 — that's 3.4× the median income. 76% of households own their home — unusually high for a major US city. Residents put down roots here. Employment picture: 6.06% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 11.1%. Average commute: 25 minutes — acceptable. Sterling Heights was founded in 1968 — that's 58 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 36.8 sq miles at 3,630 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 614 ft — modest elevation. Sterling Heights has 8 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 68/100 — It Depends.