United States › Michigan › Sterling Heights CITY · 2020 ACS
Sterling Heights Michigan · 134,346 residents · 36.4 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Sterling Heights is a city of 134,346 people in Michigan. The foreign-born share is 27%. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 42.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $198,300. The poverty rate is 9.7%, under the national 12.8%.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.2
US median: 38.8
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 16%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
116K 121K 126K 131K 136K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling Heights Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $66,346
−27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $60,494 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $24,958 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 38.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 4.5%
Public administration 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 0.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$198,300
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $157,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,051
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $644 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 79.0% in 2000
26.5% rent
from 2.62 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.1 in 2009
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-Hispanic 89.8%(111,743)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(1,665)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 79%(106,149)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(3,275)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Asian origin
+ 1 more asian origin group with data Ancestry
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data from 23.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 88.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 64.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 36.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 34.3%(18,735)
Women 15+
Never married 28.6%(16,542)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.2%(779)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.1%(770)
Share of the 5,893 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Sterling Heights Head to head
Compare Sterling Heights to nearby cities STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Fraser
Income $64,354 −3%
Home value $215,900 +9%
Population 14,496 −89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Troy
Income $120,045 +81%
Home value $420,300 +112%
Population 88,733 −34%
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STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Warren
Income $64,016 −4%
Home value $193,400 −2%
Population 137,138 +2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING HEIGHTS VS
Madison Heights
Income $69,503 +5%
Home value $199,100 same
Population 28,297 −79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling Heights, Michigan? Sterling Heights, Michigan has about 134,346 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling Heights, Michigan? The typical household in Sterling Heights, Michigan earns about $66,346 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 $198,300, and the typical rent is about $1,051 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling Heights, Michigan? About 30.0% 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 9.7% 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 16,536 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.
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