Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Sterling Heights, MI
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 14 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Sterling Heights
Michigan
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,381 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60
Population
133,744 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 32°F
Cons
Median income trails Sterling Heights by $15,648/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
Households earn $15,648 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Rent averages $183/mo less ($1,215 vs $1,398)
More college-educated — 30.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°F
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$12k less
$231,500 vs $243,400
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
8.4°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.2°F
Sterling Heights
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Sterling Heights
Median Income
$15,648
$75,381 vs $59,733/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Sterling Heights, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 ✓ Lower | $243,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,215 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 | $75,381 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 56 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 60 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 50 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 17.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 30.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 87.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Utica Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 31.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 34.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 133,744 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% | 76.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Sterling Heights's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Sterling Heights is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Sterling Heights leads 14 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 6 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 Lehigh Acres to Sterling Heights or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $243,400 median home), income ($59,733 vs $75,381), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Sterling Heights, MI are about 1,106 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.