Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dearborn, MI
VS
Sterling Heights, MI
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 12 of 22 categories
Dearborn
Michigan
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$64,600
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
108,414
Sterling Heights
Michigan
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$75,381 ✓ Higher
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.
Dearborn, MI
Pros
Homes cost $54k less ($189,400 vs $243,400)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 34.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sterling Heights by $10,781/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.9%)
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
22% less violent crime than Dearborn
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $10,781 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.9%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Dearborn
Median Home Value
$54k less
$189,400 vs $243,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Sterling Heights
Median Income
$10,781
$75,381 vs $64,600/yr
Sterling Heights
Violent Crime
22% lower
229.2 vs 292.6 per 100k
Sterling Heights
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dearborn, MI | Sterling Heights, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $189,400 ✓ Lower | $243,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,205 ✓ Lower | $1,215 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,600 | $75,381 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.9% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 50 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.8% ✓ Higher | 30.8% |
| High School or Higher | 85.1% | 87.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Dearborn City School District | Utica Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.0" | 34.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.8" ✓ Less | 32.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,414 | 133,744 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.3 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.1% | 76.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.6% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 12.9% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dearborn's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Sterling Heights's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sterling Heights leads 12 of 22 categories. Dearborn wins 10 and Sterling Heights wins 12. 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 Dearborn to Sterling Heights or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($189,400 vs $243,400 median home), income ($64,600 vs $75,381), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dearborn, MI and Sterling Heights, MI are about 21 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.