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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Sterling Heights

Michigan · 117,810 residents · 36.4 sq mi
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The short version

With 117,810 people, Sterling Heights is a city in Michigan. Households here earn about 50% more than in Michigan as a whole. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. Median household income runs $46,470, well clear of the $30,130 US median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 3.6% of locals. Headcount has barely moved since 2000.

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

Total population
117,810
−5%vs 2000
vs 124,471 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.9
−11%vs 2000
vs 37.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
36.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
116K121K126K131K136K19902000201020202024Sterling 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

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

Housing

Median home value
$96,400
−20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $157,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$533
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $644 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
77.5%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 79.0% in 2000
22.5% rent
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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
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%
Graduate degree
5.8%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.7%
−6.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.2%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 69.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.9%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 38.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.9%(605)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)11.7%(475)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.3%(1,315)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.5%(306)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II4.3%(175)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,071 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Compare Sterling Heights to nearby cities

STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Fraser
Income$64,354+38%
Home value$215,900+124%
Population14,496−89%
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STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Troy
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Home value$420,300+336%
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STERLING HEIGHTS VS
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Income$64,016+38%
Home value$193,400+101%
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STERLING HEIGHTS VS
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Income$69,503+50%
Home value$199,100+107%
Population28,297−79%
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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 →