Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Livonia, MI
VS
Sterling Heights, MI
🏆 Livonia leads 14 of 22 categories
Livonia
Michigan
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$92,458 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
94,928
Sterling Heights
Michigan
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$75,381
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.
Livonia, MI
Pros
Households earn $17,077 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (228.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 39.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Livonia by $17,077/yr
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Livonia
Median Income
$17,077
$92,458 vs $75,381/yr
Livonia
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.9% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Livonia, MI | Sterling Heights, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $249,000 | $243,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $1,215 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,458 ✓ Higher | $75,381 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.9 min ✓ Shorter | 26.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 13.3% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 60 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 50 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.1% ✓ Higher | 30.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Livonia Public Schools School District | Utica Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.4°F | 31.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.0" ✓ Drier | 34.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.0" | 32.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,928 | 133,744 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 45.2 ✓ Older | 41.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 87.2% ✓ Higher | 76.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 18.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Livonia'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, Livonia leads 14 of 22 categories. Livonia wins 14 and Sterling Heights wins 8. 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 Livonia to Sterling Heights or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($249,000 vs $243,400 median home), income ($92,458 vs $75,381), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Livonia, MI and Sterling Heights, MI are about 22 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.