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 | Pontiac | Sterling Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $947/mo | $1,215/mo | 22.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $100,100 | $243,400 | 58.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $40,307 | $75,381 | 46.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.1 | 98.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 102.4 | 102.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.9 | 100.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.5 | 101.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Pontiac, you'd need $102,807 in Sterling Heights to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Pontiac, MI is about 2.7% cheaper overall than Sterling Heights, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Pontiac than in Sterling Heights. If you earn $80,000 in Pontiac, you'd need about $82,246 in Sterling Heights to keep the same standard of living.