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 | Grand Rapids | Sterling Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,138/mo | $1,215/mo | 6.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $203,900 | $243,400 | 16.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,634 | $75,381 | 18.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.7 | 102.8 | 1.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.0 | 89.3 | 1.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.0 | 93.0 | 2.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.1 | 93.7 | 2.7% lower 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 Grand Rapids, you'd need $103,858 in Sterling Heights to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Grand Rapids, MI is about 3.7% cheaper overall than Sterling Heights, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Grand Rapids than in Sterling Heights. If you earn $80,000 in Grand Rapids, you'd need about $83,086 in Sterling Heights to keep the same standard of living.