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CITY · 2010 ACS

Sterling Heights

Michigan · 129,699 residents · 36.4 sq mi
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The short version

Sterling Heights is a city of 129,699 people in Michigan. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 22%. At a median age of 40.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 20% more than in Michigan as a whole. The poverty rate is 8.8%, under the national 13.8%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 40.4
US median: 37.2
Average education
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

129,699
+4%since 2000
from 124,471 in 2000
1990 – 2025
40.4
+9%since 2000
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
36.4 sq mi
Population, 19902024
116K121K126K131K136K19902000201020202024Sterling Heights
2024134K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.5%(7,126)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95.8%(7,529)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.2%(8,104)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.7%(8,636)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.3%(8,132)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3412.5%(16,151)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.4%(17,346)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415.3%(19,835)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6413.2%(17,139)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 748.3%(10,730)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.6%(5,944)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.3%(3,027)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$58,073
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $60,494 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$26,475
+6%since 2000
from $24,958 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
37.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 38.6% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
8.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.381
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade20.2%
US avg: 10.9%
Information15%
US avg: 11.5%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade4%
US avg: 7.2%
Public administration3.9%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$173,700
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $157,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$794
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $644 in 2000
US average: $853
76.2%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.0% in 2000
23.8% rent
5.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.63 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.62 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
30.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
42.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 41.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
3.0
−2%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2010
White, non-Hispanic83.8%(108,750)
Black5.1%(6,638)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(2,523)
Asian6.7%(8,713)
Other1.5%(2,010)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.3%(1,725)
Spaniard0.3%(412)
Puerto Rican0.2%(279)
Cuban0.1%(102)
Argentine0%(44)
Dominican0%(21)
Peruvian0%(19)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Ancestry
German18.2%(23,659)
Polish17.8%(23,071)
Italian11.8%(15,325)
Irish9.1%(11,759)
English6.9%(8,908)
Arab6.5%(8,396)
French4.7%(6,116)
American3.3%(4,311)
Iraqi3.2%(4,199)
Scottish1.9%(2,501)
French Canadian1.5%(1,986)
Belgian1.4%(1,835)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Romanian1.2%(1,620)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(1,593)
Lebanese1.1%(1,441)
Ukrainian1.1%(1,410)
Macedonian1.1%(1,382)
Dutch0.9%(1,216)
Hungarian0.9%(1,195)
Greek0.9%(1,148)
Russian0.8%(1,070)
Slovak0.8%(1,027)
Swedish0.7%(899)
Finnish0.7%(854)
Norwegian0.5%(712)
Canadian0.5%(604)
Austrian0.4%(526)
Czech0.4%(463)
Welsh0.3%(398)
Serbian0.3%(369)
Croatian0.3%(347)
Lithuanian0.2%(310)
Armenian0.2%(288)
Egyptian0.2%(283)
Danish0.2%(261)
Syrian0.1%(187)
British0.1%(163)
Iranian0.1%(163)
Jordanian0.1%(161)
Portuguese0.1%(94)
Swiss0.1%(93)
Somali0.1%(75)
Brazilian0%(57)
Latvian0%(39)
Nigerian0%(33)
Slovene0%(32)
Bulgarian0%(24)
Israeli0%(17)
Turkish0%(14)
Jamaican0%(11)
Section 05

Education

26.7%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 23.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
85.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
9.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

25.5 min
+52%since 2000
from 16.8 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
89.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 88.5% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
7.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
2.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
0.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
5.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

8.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
35.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 36.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

48.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
51.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
22.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
8.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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).

5.7%
−6.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
20.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

Sterling Heights, Michigan has about 129,699 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Sterling Heights, Michigan earns about $58,073 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 $173,700, and the typical rent is about $794 a month.

How educated are people in Sterling Heights, Michigan?

About 26.7% 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 8.8% of people in Sterling Heights, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sterling Heights, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Sterling Heights, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,889 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →