City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Detroit | Sterling Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $989/mo | $1,215/mo | 18.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $66,700 | $243,400 | 72.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $37,761 | $75,381 | 49.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.9 | 96.3 | 4.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 70.6 | 91.7 | 23.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.5 | 96.9 | 6.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 111.1 | 99.1 | 12.2% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Detroit, you'd need $122,846 in Sterling Heights to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Detroit, MI is about 18.6% cheaper overall than Sterling Heights, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 19% lower in Detroit than in Sterling Heights. If you earn $80,000 in Detroit, you'd need about $98,277 in Sterling Heights to keep the same standard of living.