Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sterling Heights, MI
VS
Warren, MI
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 12 of 22 categories
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
Warren
Michigan
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$61,633
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
138,588 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
58% less violent crime than Warren
Households earn $13,748 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.9%)
More college-educated — 30.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Warren, MI
Pros
Homes cost $74k less ($169,300 vs $243,400)
Rent averages $76/mo less ($1,139 vs $1,215)
Cons
Violent crime (541.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Sterling Heights by $13,748/yr
Higher unemployment (7.4% vs 5.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Sterling Heights
Median Income
$13,748
$75,381 vs $61,633/yr
Sterling Heights
Violent Crime
58% lower
229.2 vs 541.8 per 100k
Sterling Heights
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.9% vs 7.4% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Warren
Median Home Value
$74k less
$169,300 vs $243,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sterling Heights, MI | Warren, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $243,400 | $169,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,215 | $1,139 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,381 ✓ Higher | $61,633 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 25.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.5% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 56 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 50 ✓ Safer | 74 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.9:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.8% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| High School or Higher | 87.7% ✓ Higher | 86.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Utica Community Schools | Warren Consolidated Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.6°F | 32.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 83.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.5" | 29.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.2" | 27.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 133,744 | 138,588 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.2 ✓ Older | 38.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.0% ✓ Higher | 71.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | 21.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 16.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sterling Heights's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Warren'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. Sterling Heights wins 12 and Warren wins 10. 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 Sterling Heights to Warren or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,400 vs $169,300 median home), income ($75,381 vs $61,633), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sterling Heights, MI and Warren, MI are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.