Population 129,588 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sterling Heights: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sterling Heights
Household size in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Sterling Heights average 2.66 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Detroit area, where it has 2.57 people. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.3 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Sterling Heights is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.8, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.0% of households in Sterling Heights, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sterling Heights
Renters in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.0% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.0% of households in Sterling Heights rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 39.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 3.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.6% of homes in Sterling Heights are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Sterling Heights has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Michigan cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Sterling Heights was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Detroit area, where the median home dates to 1970. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $959 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,092 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,231 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,603 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$644 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Sterling Heights runs $1,603 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the Detroit area overall ($1,373). Rent has climbed $644 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sterling Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.5% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.4% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.6% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Sterling Heights than nationally: 30.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.0% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.8% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.4% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.5% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in Sterling Heights never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Only 21 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sterling Heights
| Period | Sterling Heights | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 6.0%, unemployment in Sterling Heights is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Detroit area as a whole (6.7%). Unemployment is down 4.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sterling Heights compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Heights | 2.66 | 41.5 | 8.0% | 24.0% | 4.6% | 1978 | $1,603 | 30.6% | 86.5% | 6.0% |
| Troy | 2.69 | 42.5 | 5.7% | 23.9% | 4.9% | 1976 | $2,015 | 56.5% | 94.4% | 4.9% |
| Fraser | 2.27 | 43.0 | 12.2% | 26.7% | 4.4% | 1973 | $876 | 22.7% | 91.0% | 4.0% |
| Clinton Township | 2.28 | 41.9 | 11.2% | 34.4% | 4.4% | 1980 | $1,190 | 25.5% | 92.7% | 5.3% |
| Utica | 2.47 | 45.8 | 7.4% | 26.6% | 4.4% | 1988 | $1,446 | 37.2% | 92.4% | 4.1% |
| Warren | 2.60 | 38.9 | 14.0% | 31.9% | 7.7% | 1965 | $1,272 | 19.6% | 84.4% | 8.5% |
| Madison Heights | 2.18 | 39.5 | 8.7% | 35.2% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,272 | 33.0% | 90.2% | 3.3% |
| Clawson | 2.04 | 41.2 | 7.5% | 24.6% | 4.2% | 1958 | $1,355 | 45.2% | 96.3% | 5.3% |
| Center Line | 2.61 | 40.2 | 14.2% | 47.8% | 2.7% | 1962 | $1,007 | 17.3% | 88.4% | 7.3% |
| Roseville | 2.28 | 40.3 | 13.8% | 34.3% | 5.7% | 1962 | $1,302 | 15.5% | 90.2% | 6.9% |
| Mount Clemens | 2.13 | 41.9 | 13.0% | 40.2% | 5.6% | 1955 | $831 | 19.2% | 89.1% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hawthorne, CA · Hattiesburg, MS · Glen Burnie, MD · Fort Wayne, IN · Garden Grove, CA · Glendale, CA · Glendale, AZ · Georgetown, TX · Fremont, CA · Fort Lauderdale, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sterling Heights. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.