Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Sterling Heights, MI
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 14 of 23 categories
Houston
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Sterling Heights
Michigan
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,381 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
133,744
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Houston, TX
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 32°F
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Sterling Heights by $14,941/yr
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
80% less violent crime than Houston
Households earn $14,941 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.9%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 93°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Summer Heat
11.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 82.2°F
Sterling Heights
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Sterling Heights
Median Income
$14,941
$75,381 vs $60,440/yr
Sterling Heights
Violent Crime
80% lower
229.2 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Sterling Heights
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Sterling Heights, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 ✓ Lower | $243,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $1,215 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 | $75,381 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 50 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 30.8% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 87.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | Utica Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer | 31.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 34.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 133,744 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 76.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Sterling Heights's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Sterling Heights is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sterling Heights leads 14 of 23 categories. Houston 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 Houston to Sterling Heights or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $243,400 median home), income ($60,440 vs $75,381), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Sterling Heights, MI are about 1,118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.