Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clovis, CA
VS
Sterling Heights, MI
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 14 of 23 categories
Clovis
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
120,607
Sterling Heights
Michigan
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,381
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
133,744 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clovis, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,173 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.6 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 32°F
More college-educated — 35.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $420,700
Higher rents — median is $1,482/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
Homes cost $177k less ($243,400 vs $420,700)
Rent averages $267/mo less ($1,215 vs $1,482)
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Clovis
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 98°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Clovis by $23,173/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clovis
Median Income
$23,173
$98,554 vs $75,381/yr
Clovis
Summer Heat
15.5°F warmer
July avg high 97.7°F vs 82.2°F
Sterling Heights
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 107.8 (100 = US avg)
Sterling Heights
Violent Crime
6% lower
229.2 vs 244.6 per 100k
Sterling Heights
Median Home Value
$177k less
$243,400 vs $420,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clovis, CA | Sterling Heights, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.8⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $420,700⚠ High | $243,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,482⚠ High | $1,215 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,554 ✓ Higher | $75,381 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 26.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 70 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 79 | 50 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.2:1 | 17.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.3% ✓ Higher | 30.8% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clovis Unified | Utica Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.4°F ✓ Warmer | 31.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.7°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.6" ✓ Drier | 34.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,607 | 133,744 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.8 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% | 76.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.9% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clovis's cost of living index is 107.8 vs Sterling Heights's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Sterling Heights is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sterling Heights leads 14 of 23 categories. Clovis wins 9 and Sterling Heights wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Clovis to Sterling Heights or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($420,700 vs $243,400 median home), income ($98,554 vs $75,381), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clovis, CA and Sterling Heights, MI are about 1,973 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.