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 | Lakeland | Sterling Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,217/mo | $1,215/mo | 0.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $243,400 | 14.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,290 | $75,381 | 22.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.3 | 102.8 | 2.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 97.5 | 89.3 | 9.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 85.0 | 93.0 | 8.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.9 | 93.7 | 6.6% 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 Lakeland, you'd need $100,770 in Sterling Heights to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lakeland, FL is about 0.8% cheaper overall than Sterling Heights, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Lakeland, you'd need about $80,616 in Sterling Heights to keep the same standard of living.