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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Sterling Heights

Michigan · 117,810 residents · 36.447 sq mi
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The short version

Sterling Heights is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $46,470. Population has declined 5% since 2000. Median home value is $96,400. Poverty is rare here, at 3.6% of residents. Households here earn about 50% more than the Michigan median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.9
US median: 33.0
Average education
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 20%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

117,810
−5%vs 2000
vs 124,471 in 2000
1990 – 2025
32.9
−11%vs 2000
vs 37.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 19902024
116K121K126K131K136K1990201020202024Sterling Heights
2024134K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.5%(7,695)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97%(8,269)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.5%(8,820)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198.2%(9,632)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.9%(9,316)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.3%(19,250)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4417.3%(20,377)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5412.7%(15,010)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.3%(8,577)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 745.9%(6,976)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 842.6%(3,063)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.7%(825)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$46,470
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $60,494 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$17,084
−32%vs 2000
vs $24,958 in 2000
US average: $14,340
3.6%
−1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$96,400
−20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $157,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$533
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $644 in 2000
US average: $450
77.5%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 79.0% in 2000
22.5% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Sterling Heights on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(111,743)
Black1.3%(1,602)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(1,665)
Asian4.9%(6,100)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic96.5%(113,679)
Black0.4%(429)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(984)
Asian2.7%(3,129)
Other0.5%(573)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2%(2,675)
Puerto Rican0.3%(433)
Cuban0.1%(194)
Dominican0.1%(130)
Venezuelan0.1%(83)
Spaniard0%(20)
Peruvian0%(16)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.6%(4,826)
Filipino1.4%(1,893)
Bangladeshi1.2%(1,636)
Chinese0.9%(1,233)
Vietnamese0.6%(839)
Korean0.5%(614)
Pakistani0.3%(455)
Hmong0.1%(174)
Laotian0.1%(165)
Japanese0.1%(74)
Cambodian0%(27)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(24)
Kazakh0%(21)
Pacific Islander origin
Guamanian0%(15)
Samoan0%(14)
Ancestry
German12.6%(16,825)
Polish11.2%(14,981)
Arab8.8%(11,784)
Italian7.3%(9,695)
Irish6.8%(9,101)
English5.6%(7,418)
Iraqi4.8%(6,348)
American2.7%(3,576)
French1.8%(2,419)
Scottish1.4%(1,846)
French Canadian1.4%(1,804)
Lebanese1.1%(1,515)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian1%(1,350)
Romanian1%(1,335)
Macedonian0.9%(1,159)
Greek0.8%(1,132)
Swedish0.7%(964)
Belgian0.7%(916)
Dutch0.6%(864)
Canadian0.5%(715)
Russian0.5%(710)
Syrian0.5%(640)
Slovak0.4%(592)
Finnish0.4%(558)
Hungarian0.4%(547)
Norwegian0.4%(532)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(431)
Armenian0.3%(401)
Welsh0.3%(382)
Egyptian0.3%(379)
West Indian0.3%(361)
Serbian0.2%(315)
British0.2%(236)
Ghanaian0.2%(224)
Jamaican0.2%(224)
Danish0.2%(207)
Czech0.2%(206)
Jordanian0.1%(200)
Slovene0.1%(189)
Lithuanian0.1%(187)
Austrian0.1%(183)
Israeli0.1%(109)
Croatian0.1%(106)
Kenyan0.1%(99)
Portuguese0.1%(89)
Iranian0.1%(87)
Swiss0.1%(68)
Haitian0%(60)
Turkish0%(52)
Nigerian0%(40)
Bulgarian0%(39)
Brazilian0%(34)
Latvian0%(30)
Ethiopian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Polish population · Largest Arab population · Largest Italian population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

18.5%
−4.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 23.0% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
80.7%
−3.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 84.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
5.8%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.3 min
+27%vs 2000
vs 16.8 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.3%(18,735)
Married54.8%(29,970)
Widowed3.7%(2,003)
Divorced7.3%(3,968)
Women 15+
Never married28.6%(16,542)
Married50.8%(29,371)
Widowed10.6%(6,142)
Divorced9.9%(5,714)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

Sterling Heights, Michigan has about 117,810 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

The typical household in Sterling Heights, Michigan earns about $46,470 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sterling Heights, Michigan expensive?

In Sterling Heights, Michigan, the median home is worth about $96,400, and the typical rent is about $533 a month.

How educated are people in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

About 18.5% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling Heights, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

About 3.6% of people in Sterling Heights, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →